UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

i;v 

C.  P.  HUNTINGTON 

.JUNE,   1897. 

No,   76~J.4£0     Class  No, 


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SPOSAHE  FALLS, 


1885.     • 


I™  1 

WALKER  L  BEAN, 


WHOLESALE  AND  RETAIL 


UNION    BLOCK. 


^  Howard  St.  Spokane  Falls,  W.  T. 

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Slje  Queeii  City  of  tl^e  Pacific, 


as  a  CnmniErcial 


PUBLISHED   BY 


DALLAM,     ANSELL    &     EDWARDS. 


SPOKANE  FALLS: 

EVENING     REVIEW    BOOK    AND    JOB    PBIHT 

1885. 


Rntered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  In 
Hie  year  1885.  by  Dal  lam,  Ansell  and  Edwards 
in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at 
Washington,  D.  C. 


Table    of   Contents. 


PAGE. 

Introductory 9 

Washington  Territory 11 

Northern  Idaho 13 

Eastern  Washington 14 

The  Great  Plain  of  the  Columbia 16 

The  Palou.se  Section 17 

The  Spokane  Section 18 

The  Crab  Creek  and  Grand  Coulee  Section 19 

The  Moses  Lake  Section 19 

Other  Sections 19 

Tributary  to  Spokane  Falls 20 

Spokane  Falls,  Advantages,  etc 25 

Situation 26 

Past,  Present  and  Future. 26 

Water  Power 32 

Surrounding  Country.. 34 

Live  Stock ..-. 36 

The  Big  Bend  Country 37 

The  Mineral  Resources 40 

The  Coeur  d'Alene  Mines... 40 

The  Chewelah  Mines 43 

The  Pend  d'  Oreille  Mines 46 

The  Similkameen  District.. .*. 48 

The  Kettle  Falls  District 49 

A  Mica   Mountain 50 

Coal  Fields 51 

A  Plumbago  Mine 52 

Manufacturing  and   Business 52 

Grain,  Fruits  and  Vegetables 53 

Growth 55 

Educational. .... 56 

Churches 58 

Climate 58 

Transportation. 61 

Questions  and  Answers 62 

What  Outsiders  Think  of  Spokane 64 

Conclusion  ...     66 


OF  THK 

UNIVERSITY 


Introductory. 


Since  the  completion  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  almost  every 
newspaper  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  has  devoted  considerable 
space  and  attention  to  the  country  and  towns  along  its  route,  and  very 
man\r  of  the  larger  and  more  prominent  city  dailies  have  sent  special 
reporters  through  to  the  extreme  northwest  to  gather  the  most  reliable 
information  to  be  obtained  to  serve  in  the  most  attractive  style  to  their 
armies  of  readers.  The  eagerness  with  which  this  knowledge  has  been 
sought  and  relished  shows  something  of  the  interest  felt  in  «*  the  States" 
in  this  northwestern  empire.  While  these  reports  have  almost  inva- 
riably been  furnished  by  experienced  writers,  and  often  by  trained 
journalists,  they  have  always  been  prepared  in  haste  and  with  but  a 
very  superficial  knowledge  of  the  country  described.  The  result  has 
been  that  they  were  generally  grossly  exaggerated  or  fell  short  of  the 
actual  truth. 

The  compilers  of  this  work  have  been  urged  to  the  task  of  its  pro- 
duction by  many  of  the  best  citizens  of  our  young  city.  The  matter 
contained  in  its  pages  has  been  submitted  to  many  of  them,  to  whom 
we  are  under  obligations  for  valuable  suggestions  and  assistance,  and 
has  met  with  their  unqualified  approval.  We  have  endeavored  to 
simply  state  facts,  which  can  be  verified  by  proper  investigation.  In 
no  part  of  the  country  is  capital  so  urgently  needed  as  in  the  new 
regions  of  the  West.  Houses  are  to  be  built,  towns  created,  roads 
made,  land  broken,  machinery  put  to  work  to  raise  and  harvest  crops — 
and  it  all  takes  money.  There  are  no  accumulations  of  past  industry 
to  fall  back  upon.  The  capital  must  be  brought  in  from  older  commu- 
nities, either  by  the  settlers  themselves  or  by  banks  and  other  agencies 
for  making  loans.  The  great  drawback  to  the  development  of  new 
regions  is  the  scarcity  of  money  and  the  high  rates  of  interest.  Both 
are  caused  by  lack  of  knowledge  and  confidence  on  the  part  of  capital- 
ists in  the  East.  When  money  is  a  drug  in  the  market  at  five  or  six 


10 


per  cent,  in  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  the  New  England  States,  it 
is  in  active  demand  at  ten  or  twelve  per  cent,  in  Washington  Territory, 
with  security  offered  of  first-class  real  estate  mortgages.  For  small 
loans  secured  by  chattel  mortgages  on  crops  and  machinery,  Washing- 
ton farmers  are  sometimes  forced  to  pay  as  high  as  four  per  cent,  a 
month. 

But  capital  is  cautious,  and,  to  attract  it  to  this  country,  we  must  show 
this  a  profitable  place  for  investment.  To  do  this,  is  the  object  of  this 
work.  To  show  that  nature  has  done  enough  to  secure  abundant  suc- 
cess to  the  industrious  faimer,  stock-raiser  and  fruit-grower  in  Eastern 
Washington,  and  that  the  miner,  manufacturer  and  artisan  cannot  find 
equal  inducements  elsewhere  on  this  continent,  we  will  let  facts  speak 
for  themselves.  Our  city  of  Spokane  Falls  is  the  natural  centre  of  one 
of  the  richest  and  most  extensive  regions  of  country  to  be  found  in  the 
United  States.  Its  plains  and  plateaus  are  covered  with  productive  soil, 
in  which  all  kinds  of  grain  matures  to  its  fullest  perfection,  and  its 
mountains  and  hills  hide  untold  treasures  of  the  precious  metals.  To 
attract  to  these  the  attention  of  the  capitalists,  the  mechanics,  the  hus- 
bandmen and  others  in  the  overcrowded  East,  who  desire  to  seek  an 
abode  with  us,  and  that  they  may  be  prepared  for  just  what  they  v-ill 
see  when  they  come,  is  the  aim  of  this  book.  That  it  may  not  return 
to  us  void,  but  accomplish  the  work  to  which  it  is  dedicated,  is  the 
earnest  wish  of 

THE  AUTHORS. 


Spokane  Falls,  January,  1885. 


Washington  Territory. 


No  section  of  the  Union  has  attracted  more  attention  during  the 
past  two  years  than  Washington  Territory.  Practically  unknown  be- 
for  the  completion  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  and  the  public  at- 
tention being  so  thoroughly  occupied  by  the  Dakota  boom,  the  won- 
derful excellences  of  this  country  and  the  inducements  it  offers  to  set- 
tlement were  slow  in  being  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  people  in  other 
portions  of  the  country. 

The  length  of  Washington  Territory,  from  north  to  south,  ranges 
from  200  to  250  miles,  and  its  greatest  breadth  from  east  to  west  is 
about  360  miles.  Its  coast  length  is  245  miles,  and  its  full  shore  line 
1738  miles.  It  is  smaller  than  most  of  the  Territories  and  several  of 
the  Western  States,  having  an  area  of  only  66,994  square  miles,  or  44,- 
796,160  acres,  but  is,  nevertheless,  one  and  a  half  times  as  large  as  New 
York  or  Pennsylvania.  Exclusive  of  the  area  covered  by  the  waters 
of  PugetJround,  and  the  mountainous  region,  there  would  probably 
remain  40,000,000  acres.  Of  these  20,000,000  acres  are  timber  lands, 
about  5,000,000  are  rich  alluvial  bottoms,  and  15,000.000  are  prairies  and 
plains.  A  large  proportion  is  well  adapted  for  wheat  culture,  and  all 
of  it  for  stock  raising.  The  tenth  census  of  the  United  States,  taken  in 
1880,  gave  the  Territory  a  population  of  75,120.  So  rapid  has  been  the 
increase  that  the  population  has  more  than  doubled  during  the  past 
four  years,  an  increase  almost  unprecedented  in  the  history  of  our 
country  and  which  promises  to  continue  for  many  years  to  come. 

The  C'ascade  Mountains  which  take  their  name  from  the  numerous 
waterfalls  that  pour  down  their  rugged  faces,  divide  Washington  into 
two  unequal  parts,  each  of  which  is  characterized  by  a  marked  dissimi- 
larity in  topography,  soil,  climate,  and,  to  some  extent,  productions 
This  range  of  mountains  is  a  prolongation  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  chain, 
and  traverses  Washington  in  a  course  slightly  deviating  from  north  ta 
south.  The  average  distance  of  these  mountains  from  the  Pacific 


12 


Ocean  is  about  110  miles.  As  the  range  reaches  northward  it  puts  out 
spurs  in  many  directions,  so  that  the  whole  country  in  Washington, 
west  of  the  Columbia  is  broken  and  hilly.  About  150  miles  east  of  the 
Cascade  Mountains  the  Blue  Mountains  stretch  from  the  interior  of 
Oregon  toward  the  northeast,  penetrating  the  southeastern  corner  of 
Washington.  At  a  distance  varying  from  40  to  70  miles  west  of  the 
Cascade  Mountains  is  another  range  running  also  north  and  south, 
known  as  the  Coast  Range.  Generally  separated  from  the  Pacific 
Ocean  by  an  intervening  narrow  strip  of  upland,  this  range  has  an  al- 
titude from  3,000  to  5,000  feet.  Mount  Olympus,  not  far  distant  from 
Puget  Sound,  towers  to  the  bight  of  8000  feet.  These  mountains  are 
all  densely  wooded. 

These  ranges  conjointly  with  the  numerous  hills  which  flank  and 
border  and  run  from  them,  especially  in  the  country  west  of  the  Cas- 
cade Mountains,  break  the  surface  of  the  land,  cutting  it  up  into  num- 
berless valleys  of  varying  extent  and  of  great  fertility,  each  of  which  is 
traversed  by  a  more  or  less  important  stream. 

There  is  no  part  of  the  United  States  that  is  richer  in  natural  re- 
sources than  Washington,  but  they  have  been  only  slightly  developed 
and  are  comparatively  unknown.  The  climate  is  healthy  and  delight- 
ful, and  the  soil  is  of  the  most  fruitful  character;  there  is  an  inexhaust- 
ible supply  of  timber,  vast  mineral  wealth  and  very  valuable  fisheries, 
Before  1869  there  was  not  a  single  railroad  in  this  region '.  But  the 
building  of  the  Oregon  Railway  and  Navigation  Company's  lines,  and 
the  completion  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  have  given  a  wonder- 
ful impetus  to  this  part  of  the  country,  and  the  great  influx  of  settlers 
and  capital  has  resulted  in  a  proportionately  greater  outflow  of  its  pro- 
ducts to  the  markets  of  the  United  States  and  the  world. 

•  The  capabilities  of  this  vast  region  being  unlimited,  there  is  room 
for  millions  of  people  to  profitably  engage  in  the  development  of  the 
resources  of  wealth  that  abound  every  where  in  this  political  division. 
The  climate  of  Washington  is  mild  and  equable.  The  mean  tem- 
perature of  January  ranges  from  10°  to  20°  higher  on  the  Pacific  than 
on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  This  difference  is 
caused  by  the  Japan  current,  which  modifies  the  climate  of  the  North- 
ern Pacific  Coast  in  the  same  way  the  Atlantic  Gulf  Stream  tempers 
the  climate  of  the  British  Isles.  There  is,  however,  a  great  dissimi- 
larity in  the  climate  of  Washington  between  those  lands  lying  west  of 
the  Cascade  Mountains  and  those  east  of  them. 

West  of  the  Cascade  Range  the  .winters  are  rainy,  rather  than  cold. 
The  winter  or  rainy  season  begins  about  the  middle  of  October,  often 
later,  and  ends  about  the  first  of  May.  The  rains  are  more" copious  in 
December,  January  and  March.  At  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  wet 
season  the  rain  is  usually  in  showers,  with  many  intervals  of  bright 
weather.  Snow  sometimes  falls  but  speedily  disappears.  Thunder 
storms  are  exceedingly  rare;  hail-storms,  hurricanes,  earthquakes  and 
other  destructive  phenomena  are  scarcely  known. 

.East^oT  the  Cascade  Mountains,  it  must  be  remembered,  the  cli- 
mate and  natural  features of  the  country  are  very  different  from  those 


13 


of  the  great  basin  lying  west  of  them,  so  that  the  popular  division, 
Eastern  and  Western  Washington  Territory,  is  warranted. 

In  the  eastern  section  the  thermometer  is  much  higher  in  sum- 
mer and  lower  in  winter  than  in  the  western  section.  The  rainfall  is 
only  half  as  heavy.  From  June  to  September  t'here  is  no  rain,  the 
weather  being  perfect  for  harvesting.  The  heat  is  great,  but  not  near- 
ly so  oppressive  as  a  much  lower  grade  would  be  in  the  Eastern 
States,  and  the  nights  are  invariably  cool. 

The  winters  are  short,  but  occasionally  severe.  Snow  seldom  falls 
before  Christmas,  and  sometimes  lies  from  four  to  six  weeks,  but 
usually  disappears  in  a  few  days.  The  so-called  "Chinoook,"  a  warm 
wind,  is  of  great  benefit  to  the  country;  it  blows  periodically  and  melts 
deep  snows  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours.  This  warm  atmosphere  is 
caused  Dy  the  passage  of  the  wind  across  the  Japan  current. 

In  Eastern  Oregon  and  Washington  spring  begins  in  February, 
with  warm,  pleasant  weather  and  lasts  until  the  middle  of  May.  At  this 
season  rain  falls  in  sufficient  quantity  to  give  life  to  vegetation  and  in- 
sure good  crops.  The  average  temperature  is  52°. 

Autumn  weather  in  October  and  November  is  generally  delightful. 
There  is  often  frost  by  night,  but  the  days  are  usually  warm  and 
bright.  The  season  is  marked  by  showers,  and  also  by  thunder 
storms  in  some  localities.  The  mercury  ranges  between  55°  and  70°. 


Northern  Idaho. 


The  five  counties  comprising  the  "  pan-handle"  or  northern  portion 
of  Idaho,  for  the  purposes  of  this  work,  may  be  considered  as  actually 
a  portion  of  Eastern  Washington.  The  residents  of  that  section  voted 
almost  unanimously  in  favor  of  annexation  to  Washington,  the  Idaho 
Territorial  Legislature  has  endorsed  the  proposition,  their  incoming 
Delegate  to  Congress  was  elected  on  that  issue,  and  as  both  political 
parties  in  this  Territory  strongly  favored  it  in  their  recent  platforms,  it 
may  be  said  to  have  been  endorsed  by  the  voters  of  Washington  at  the 
polls  last  November.  It  now  only  awaits  congressional  action,  which 
is  strongly  hoped  for  at  this  session.  In  character  and  appearance  it  is 
very  similar  to  Western  Montana  and  portions  of  Eastern  Washington 
and  Oregon.  The  scenery  is  indescribably  wild  and  picturesque.  The 
present  Idaho  line  is  only  eighteen  miles  east  of  Spokane  Falls,  and 
this  is  the  natural  gateway  to,  and  the  supply  point  'or  its  valuable 
mines,  as  well  as  the  point  at  which  its  vast  forests  around  Lake  Coaur 
d'Alene  must  be  cut  into  lumber. 

The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  while  traversing  Idaho  for  only  a 
comparatively  short  distance,  passes  through  a  region  of  abundant  and 
magnificent  timber,  many  of  the  trees  being  from  seven  to  ten  feet  in 
diameter,  and  of  great  height.  The  varieties  are  red  fir,  white  pine, 
white  cedar,  hemlock,  tamarack,  and  larch.  The  construction  of  tha 


14 


Northern  Pacific  Railroad  has  made  this  wild  and  hitherto  compara- 
tively unknown  country  accessible,  and  its  resources  and  capabilities 
are  being  investigated  by  large  numbers,  while  settlers  are  going  in 
rapidly  to  whom  its  timber  alone  will  be  an  important  source  of  wealth 
The  capabilities  of  soil  generally  in  Northern  Idaho  are  great,  and, 
unlike  Southern  Idaho,  abundant  and  seasonable  rains  render  irrigation 
unnecessary.  The  grazing  areas,  as  yet  largely  unoccupied,  are  of  the 
same  general  character  of  superiority  as  those  of  Montana,  Washington 
and  Oregon.  Many  beautiful  and  highly  romantic  streams  are  crossed, 
the  water  of  which  is  of  exceeding  freshness  and  purity,  while  lapids 
and  falls  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  furnishing  water  power  of  unlim- 
ited capacity  all  through  the  country  which  can  be  easily  and  cheaply 
utilized  by  future  settlers  for  manufacturing  purposes.  Northern 
Idaho  is  teeming  with  all  kinds  of  the  large  wild  game  which  are 
found  upon  the  mountains  or  in  the  primeval  forests  of  the  Northwest. 
Of  swift,  noble  rivers  and  deep,  placid  lakes,  Northern  Idaho  has  its 
scores.  Snake  River,  which  flows  along  the  western  boundary  of 
Idaho,  is  navigable  from  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  on  the  Colum- 
bia River  eastward  for  200  miles.  Clarke's  Fork  of  the  Columbia, 
Cceur  d'Alene  and  St.  Joseph  Rivers  are  each  navigable,  and  larger 
than  the  Ohio  at  Pittsburg.  The  Kootenai,  Vermillion,  Palouse  and 
Clearwater  are  larger,  and  compare  favorably  in  picturesqueness  with 
the  Susquehanna,  or  other  similar  streams  which  are  recognized  as  the 
noblest  and  most  beautiful  possessions  of  the  Alleghanies  or  Blue 
Ridge.  All  of  these  and  hundreds  of  minor  water-courses  are  swift 
and  clear  currents,  full  of  trout  and  other  species  of  fresh-water  fish. 

It  has  very  many  beautiful  lakes  of  clear  fresh  water,  the  most  noted 
of  which  are  Coeur  d'Alene  and  Pend  d'Orielle,  each  within  easy  reach 
of  Spokane  Falls,  and  are  the  hunter's  and  sportsman's  paradise.  It 
also  contains  some  of  the  most  valuable  mineral  fields  yet  known,  of 
which  we  will  speak  more  fully  elsewhere. 


Eastern  Washington. 


The  terms  Eastern  and  Western  Washington  are  generally  under- 
stood to  refer  to  the  portions  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  Cascade 
Mountains,  and  that  is  the  division  which  will  be  followed  in  this 
book,  although  that  portion  between  the  Cascade  Range  and  the  Col- 
umbia River  is  often  referrred  to  as  Middle  Washington.  Eastern 
Washington  is  about  180  by  200  miles  in  extent  and  contains,  approxi- 
mately, 36,000  square  miles,  or  23,000,000  acres,  an  area  more  than 
three  times  the  size  of  Maryland  and  even  larger  than  the  States  of 
Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island  and  Ver- 
mont together,  and  vastly  more  arable.  With  the  system  of  railroads, 


15 


which  are  now  projected,  in  operation,  which  is  not  many  years  ahead, 
atid  the  mills  and  manufactories  in  operation  here  which  are  bound 
soon  to  come,  all  this  vast  country  will  be  directy  tributary  to  Spokane 
Falls,  as  its  natural  manfacturing,  mining  and  commercial  centre. 

The  soil  in  Eastern  Washington  is  generally  a  dark  loam  and  often  of 
great  depth,  composed  of  alluvial  deposits  of  decomposed  lava  over- 
laying a  clay  subsoil.  This  rests  upon  a  basaltic  formation  which  is 
so  far  beneath  the  surface  as  to  be  visible  only  on  the  banks  of  the 
water  courses.  Some  of  the  more  broken  sections  have  considerable 
"scab"  land  which  is  unfit  for  agricultural  purposes  but  is  excellent 
grazing  land.  The  constituents  of  the  soil  adapt  the  country  peculiarly 
to  the  production  of  wheat  and  other  grains,  as  well  as  vegetables, 
while  the  mild  climate  makes  this  an  excellent  fruit  growing  country. 
Although  the  dry  seasons  often  continue  for  months,  this  light,  porous 
land  absorbs  and  retains  enough  moisture  from  the  atmosphere  to  in- 
sure perfect  growth  and  full  harvests. 

This  assertion  is  so  at  variance  with  common  experience  that  it 
might  well  be  questioned.  Happily,  it  is  susceptible  of  explanation. 
In  spite  of  the  fact  that  there  is  scarcely  a  shower  between  May  and 
the  following  September  and  that  the  average  rainfall  for  the  year 
does  not  exceed  twenty  inches,  there  is  always  the  requisite  moisture 
for  maturing  the  crops.  Paradoxical  as  it  may  seem,  if  the  rain  were 
greatly  in  excess  of  this  low  average,  damage  would  certainly  ensue; 
and  it  is  equally  sure,  if  successful  farming  depended  upon  the  limited 
rainfall,  there  would  be  poor  harvests.  The  clouds  supply  only  in 
part  the  moisture  which  is  needed.  The  warm  air-currents,  surcharged 
with  vapor,  which  sweep  inland  from  the  ocean  up  the  channel  of  the 
Columbia  River,  prevent  drought.  The  effect  of  the  atmospheric  cur- 
rents in  tempering  the  climate  is  very  beneficial.  Their  influence  upon 
the  vegetation  is  no  less  vital.  The  moisture  with  which  they  are 
laden  is  held  in  suspension  during  the  da\r,  diffused  over  the  country. 
At  night  it  is  condensed  by  the  coo  er  temperature,  and  precipitated  in 
the  form  of  a  fine  mist  onevery  exposed  particle  of  surface  which  earth 
and  plant  present.  The  effect  is  that  of  a  copious  shower. 

The  climate  of  the  great  region  lying  between  the  Bitter  Root  anfl 
Coeur  d'Alene  Ranges  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Cascade 
Range  is  subject  to  the  same  regulating  influences  which  determine 
the  character  of  the  climate  west  of  the  Cascade  Range.  The  currents 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean  form  a  great  river  of  equatorial  warmth,  which, 
leaving  the  coast  of  Japan,  flows  across  the  Pacific,  follows  the  Ameri- 
can Pacific  Coast,  sends  its  warm  breath  known  as  the  Chinook  winds, 
over  elevated  plains  and  through  mountain  defiles  far  into  the  interior. 
It  is,  therefore,  a  climate  of  greater  mildness  and  equability  than  is 
found  in  the  same  or  approximate  latitudes  elsewhere  on  the  Ameri- 
can Continent,  the  average  indication  being  30°  in  winter  and  85°  in 
summer.  The  amount  of  rain  and  snow  is  less  than  west  of  the  Cas- 
cade Range;  buithe  snowfall  alone  is  greater,  there  being  little  or  no 
snow  in  the  coast  counties.  Snow,  however,  rarely  occurs  here  be- 
fore Christmas.  The  dry  season  is  longer,  but  is  not  of  such  severity 
as  to  require  artificial  irrigation. for  the  growth  and  maturing  of  crops. 


Only  at  mid-day  is  the  heat  ever  considerable;  the  mornings  and  eve«- 
nings  are  perfectly  fine  and  enjoyable,  and  the  nights  are  refreshingly 
cool  and  invigorating. 


The  Great  Plain  of  the  Columbia. 


The  most  important  portion  of  Eastern  Washington,  and  that 
which  will  always  be  most  directly  tributary  to  Spokane  Falls,  is  that 
portion  best  known  as  The  Great  Plain  of  the  Columbia  River,  which 
in  this  work  deserves  the  most  minute  description.  In  order  to  show 
complete  accuracy,  as  well  as  impartiality,  we  will  quote  largely  from 
the  report  of  Lieutenant  Thomas  W.  Syrnons,  of  the  Corps  of  United 
States  Engineers,  which  was  transmitted  by  Robert  T.  Lincoln,  Secre- 
tary of  War,  to  the  United  States  Senate,  in  response  to  a  resolution  of 
that  body  calling  on  him  for  "  information  respecting  the  navigable 
waters  of  the  Upper  Columbia  River  and  its  tributaries,  and  of  the 
resources  of  the  country  adjacent  thereto."  We  shall  quote  freely  from 
this  report,  because  in  its  official  nature  it  is  entirely  unbiased,  and 
because  it  contairs  statements  that  might  be  regarded  as  exaggerations 
should  we  make  them  without  such  verification.  Of  this  section,  Lieu- 
tenant Symons  says  : 

"The  northern  portion  of  the  interior  Columbia  Basin,  known  as 
the  Great  Plain  of  the  Columbia,  may  be  described  as  that  area  bounded 
on  the  west  by  the  Cascade  Mountains,  on  the  south  by  the  Blue 
Mountains,  on  the  east  by  the  Bitter  Root  and  Coeur  d'Alene  Moun- 
tains, on  the  north  by  the  Mountains  of  the  Moses  and  Colville  Reser- 
vations, and  those  in  a  triangular  area  between  the  Columbia  River  and 
Clarke's  Fork.  This  area  is  about  145x155  miles  in  extent  and  contains 
approximately  22,000  square  miles,  or  14,080,000  acres,  an  area  as  large 
as  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island  put 
together.  This  section  is  also  known  in  popular  parlance  as  the 
"  Bunch-Grass"  country,  from  the  fact  that  nearly  all  the  plains  and 
hills  are  covered  by  this  most  hardy  and  nutritious  grass.  In  the 
Spring  and  early  Summer  when  it  is  green  and  juicy,  it  is  very  sweet 
and  palatable  and  cattle  eat  it  with  avidity.  During  the  Summer  it 
ripens,  and  the  heat  of  the  sun  and  dearth  of  moisture  dry  it  up  and 
color  it  a  rich  yellow  brown,  but  in  this  condition  it  is  even  better  for 
stock  than  it  was  in  its  early  green  state.  I  have  been  told  by  an  old 
pioneer  packer,  who  for  many  years  packed  through  the  country,  that 
his  animals  would  keep  in  better  condition  on  bunch-grass  alone, 
than  they  would  if  fed  on  ordinary  hay  and  grain.  Bunch-grass  has 
became  the  synonym  for  things  good,  strong,  rich  and  great.  The- 
bunch -grass  country  is  the  best  and  finest  country  on  earth  !  Bunch 


17 


grass  cattle  and  horses  are  the  sweetest,  fleetest  and  strongest  in  the 
world  ;  and  a  bunch-grass  man  is  the  most  superb  being  in  the  uni- 
verse !  Over  nearly  the  whole  of  this  Great  Plain  of  the  Columbia, 
there  is  now  spread  a  rich  and  fertile  soil,  varying  in  depth  from  a  few 
inches  to  hundreds  of  feet.  This  soil  has  been  produced  by  the  grind- 
ing action  of  the  ice  and  drift  of  the  great  glacial  epoch,  by  the  water- 
wearing  action  of  the  champlain  epoch  and  from  the  disintregation  of 
the  rocks  during  the  last  and  present  existence  of  the  Terrace  epoch,  by 
the  action  of  the  Summer's  rain  and  heat  and  Winter's  frost  and  cold, 
and  chemical  decomposition  arising  from  exposure  to  the  atmosphere 
Soil  arising  from  the  disintegration  of  volcanic  rocks  is  known  to  pos- 
sess in  a  high  degree  the  qualities  and  mineral  constituents  needed  by 
plants.  The  most  fertile  soil  of  France,  Italy,  the  Sandwich  Islands 
and  California,  are  of  this  nature,  and  the  wondrous  harvests  in  some 
localities  of  the  Bunch-Grass  country  shows  that  its  soil  has  no  supe- 
rior anywhere.  From  an  inspection  of  the  topographical  charts  it  will 
be  seen  that  nearly  all  of  this"  vast  area  is  susceptible  of  use,  either  for 
agricultural  or  grazing  purposes. 

"  In  order  to  particularize  a  little  in  regard  to  this  Great  Plain  of  the 
Columb.a,  let  us  suppose  that  portion  north  of  the  Snake  and  Clear- 
water  Rivers  to  be  divided  into  four  nearly  equal  parts,  by  a  line  drawn 
due  south  from  the  Big  Bend  of  the  Columbia  River,  near  Camp  Spo- 
kane, to  Snake  River,  and  a  line  due  east  and  west  through  the  south- 
ern end  of  Colvilie  Lake. 

"The  northeastern  section  may  be  termed  the  Spokane  Section,  the 
southeastern  as  the  Palouse  Section,  the  northwester  \  as  the  Crab 
Creek  and  Grand  Coulee  Section,  and  the  southwestern  as  the  Moses 
Lake  Section. 

"To  these  must  be  added  the  section  south  and  west  of  the  Snake,  or 
Walla  Walla  Section  ;  the  one  south  of  the  Clearwater  and  east  of  the 
Snake,  as  the  Lewiston  and  Mount  Idaho  Section,  and  the  one  to  the 
west  of  the  Columbia  as  the  Yakima  Section. 

THE  PALOUSE  SECTION. 

"  The  lands  of  this  section  are  nearly  all  of  good  quality  and  are 
being  rapidly  settled.  This  section  is  well  watered,  the  main  streams 
being  the  Palouse,  Cow  Creek,  Rock  Creek,  Pine  Creek,  Union  Flat 
Creek,  Rebel  Flat  Creek,  Potlatch  Creek,  and  the  headwaters  of  Latah 
or  Hangman's  Creek,  besides  which  are  many  smaller  streams. 

44 Considerable  "scab"  land  exists  in  the  western  and  northwestern 
parts  of  this  section.  The  land  so  designated  by  the  people  of  the 
country  is  that  whrre  the  original  volcanic  rock  is  exposed  and  uncov- 
ered by  any  soil.  Patches  of  this  exposed  rock  exist  scattered  through 
the  most  fertile  regions.  This  is  the  most  fertile,  most  thickly  settled, 
and  best  known  of  the  four  sections,  north  of  the  Snake.  Several  tine 
towns  have  been  started  in  this  country  ;  the  principal  one,  and  the 
one  which  is  destined  to  become  quite  a  railroad  and  commercial 
centre,  is  Colfax,  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and  South  forks  of  the 


18 


Palouse.  The  western  portion  is  devoid  of  timber,  but  in  the  eastern 
portion,  about  the  headwater  streams  of  the  Palouse  and  Hangman's 
Creek,  plenty  of  fine  timber  exists. 

THE  SPOKANE  SECTION. 

"  This  section  is  more  varied  than  any  of  the  others.  In  its  south- 
eastern part  is  Coeur  d'Alene  Lake  and  the  tine  timber-covered  coun- 
try surrounding  it.  In  its  northeastern  and  eastern  parts  are  the 
Spokane  Plains  and  the  fertile  prairies  scattered  through  the  northern 
woods.  Its  western  portion  comprises  some  of  the  finest  farming 
lands  in  the  Territory,  among  which  are  those  known  as  the  Deep 
Creek,  Four  Lakes,  Upper  Crab  Creek,  Hangman's  Creek,  a-id  Cotton- 
wood  Springs  Countries,  Gordon  Prairie,  etc.  The  Spokane  River  runs 
through  this  section,  giving  water  transportation  for  the  timber  from 
the  great  forests  about  its  headwaters,  and  furnishing  one  of  the  finest 
water  powers  in  the  world.  The  main  line  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
Railroad  runs  diagonally  through  the  section,  along  the  Spokane 
River. 

;<Due  west  from  Spokane  Falls  and  extending  in  a  westerly  direc- 
tion, is  the  divide  between  the  streams  which  flow  north  into  the  Spo- 
kane and  south  into  Crab  Creek.  This  divide  is  higher  in  appearance 
than  the  country  to  the  north  and  south.  It  abounds  in  springs  and 
swales,  where  the  waters  collect  and  then  flow  away  as  rivulets  and 
brooks  through  the  gently  rolling  hills  at  first,  finally  becoming  more 
deeply  encanyoned  as  they  near  their  destination  at  the  greater  river, 
or  creek.  Of  uourse  those  flowing  north  into  the  Spokane  River  cut 
more  deeply  than  those  flowing  south.  This  divide  is  of  importance 
in  the  economy  of  the  country,  as  it  furnishes  an  excellent  route  for  a 
railroad,  which  will  pass  through  an  extremely  fertile  and  desirable 
country,  and  be  easily  accessible  from  both  sides  throughout  its  entire 
length.  This  railroad  is  one  which  in  the  near  future  must  certainly 
be  built.  Its  starting  point  must  be  at  the  Falls  of  the  Spokane,  from 
whence  it  will  stretch  away  westward  to  the  Okanogan  and  vicinity  of 
the  Wenatchee,  bearing  in  one  direction  its  loads  of  grain  to  be  ground 
into  flour  for  shipment  to  the  great  world,  and  in  the  other  direction 
the  fuel,  lumber  and  merchandise  required  by  the  inhabitants  along 
the  route  through  which  it  passes. 

"  Upon  the  plain  just  above  where  Hangman's  Creek  joins  the  Spo- 
kane, is  situated  the  City  of  Spokane  Falls,  and  it  is  certainly  unex- 
celled in  the  whole  world  as  a  townsite.  There  never  will  be  any  mud, 
and  pavements  will  never  be  needed  in  this  beautiful  place,  which  is 
already  assuming  the  dignity  and  business  appearance,  as  well  as  the 
name,  of  a  city.  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  here  crosses  Hang- 
man's Creek,  and  first  reaches  the  Spokane  River.  Several  other  i ail- 
roads  have  been  projected,  which,  when  built,  will  make  the  town  an 
important  railroad  centre.  Its  situation  and  natural  advantages  must 
make  it  a  place  of  consequence,  and  great  things  are  predicted  of  it. 

"  The  climate  is  truly  delightful  and  of  the  most  undoubted  health- 


19 


fulness.  In  the  vicinity  are  all  the  elements  which  go  to  make  up  an 
attractive  place  of  residence ;  beautiful  scenery  of  varying  plains  and 
mountains,  prairie  and  timbered  hills,  lovely  lakes  for  boating,  fishing,, 
bathing,  etc  ;  a  picturesque  river  abounding  in  the  finest  trout,  unex- 
celled rides  and  drives,  and  hunting  of  all  kinds  from  prairie  shooting 
to  deer,  elk  and  bear  hunting  among  the  summits  and  gorges  of  the 
mountains. 


THE  CRAB  CREEK  AND  GRAND  COULEE  SECTIONS. 

At  the  time  Lieut.  Symons  made  his  report  these  regions  were  lit- 
tle known  and  the  only  inhabitants,  he  states,  were  '*three  or  four  cat- 
tle men  living  along  Crab  Creek"  and  two  or  three  others.  He  pro- 
nounced it,  however,  "a  very  fine  agricultural  and  grazing  section." 
The  southern  portion,  or  Crab  Creek  Section,  is  well  watered  by  streams 
heading  along  the  divide  already  mentioned,  and  there  are  numerous 
valleys  of  varying  width  covered  with  rich  grain  and  grass- producing 
soil.  Foster  Crd3k,  witii  its  in  my  branjae-s,  is  farther  north  and  in 
that  section  there  are  miny  springs,  sin  ill  lakes,  and  every  induce- 
ment, in  the  way  of  natural  advantages,  for  thousands  of  settlers  to 
make  prosperous  and  pleasant  homes.  The  more  western  or  Grand 
Coaled  portion  of  this  section  is  now  much  better  known  than  at  the 
time  Lieut.  Symons  mide  his  report.  It  is  kniwn  as  the  Big  Bend 
country  un J  has  proven,  so  far  as  tested,  to  be  equal  to  any  portion  of 
the  Territory  (not  even  excepting  the  famous  Walla  Walla  and  Pa- 
louse  Se^ions,)  in  the  richness  an  J  proiuetive  qualitie»of  its  soil.  We 
shall  allude  to  it  more  minutely  elsewhere  in  this  book. 


THE  MOSES  LAKE  SECTION. 

This  last  one  of  the  four  sections  is  purely  uninviting  and  Lieut. 
Symons  finds  no  word  of  commendation  for  it.  He  describes  it  as  "a 
desert  pure  and  simple,  an  almost  waterless,  lifeless  desert.  A  large 
portion  is  covered  with  boulders  embedded  in  a  loose,  light,  ashy  soil, 
other  portions  are  covered  with  drifting  sands,  and  taken  all  in  all,  it  is 
a  desolation  where  even  the  most  hopeful  can  find  nothing  in  its  fu- 
ture prospects  to  cheer." 


OTHER    SECTIONS. 

The  Walla  Walla,  Takiraa,  Lewiston  and  Mount  Idaho  Sections 
each  have  large  areas  of  rich  and  productive  soils,  where  abundant 
crops  are  grown  without  irrigation,  as  well  as  finely  timbered  and 
grazing  lands.  These  regions  lie  contiguous  to  the  mountains  and  are 
well  watered  and  inviting  to  settlers.  The  Walla  Walla  Section  has 
been  settled  for  many  years  and  its  productions  of  wheat  and  fruits 
are  known  far  and  wide.  The  wheat  production  of  this  section  for 
this  season  is  estimated  as  high  as  6,003,003  bushels  and  its  quality 
canuot  be  excelled.  For  stockraising  these  regions  are  counted  vastly 


20 


superior  to  Montana.  The  climate  is  very  mild  and  the  bunch  grass 
very  abundant.  Cattle  graze  even  to  the  summits  of  the  mountains 
and  fare  well  all  winter  without  feed,  other  than  that  gathered  on  the 
range. 

TRIBUTARY  TO  SPOKANE  FALLS. 

All  these  sections  which  have  just  been  describe;],  with  even  a 
much  larger  scope  of  country,  must  become  densely  populated  and  di- 
rectly tributary  to  some  manufacturing  and  commercial  centre.  It 
has  a  total  agricultural  area  of  not  less  than  10,000,000  acres,  of  which 
probably  not  more  than  one-tenth  is  taken  no  and  under  cultivation. 
It  will  be  readily  seen  that  its  producing  capacity  is  stupendous.  It 
will  be  able  to  produce  150,000,000  bushels  of  wheat,  besides  oats,  bar- 
ley* ryu,  corn,  vegetables  and  fruits  of  every  description.  Wheat  has 
often  gone  as  high  as  56  bushels  per  acre,  corn  40  bushels  and  potatoes 
500,  while  the  different  varieties  of  fruits  have  been  grown  with  flat- 
tering success.  Apple  trees  generally  come  in  bearing  in  three  years 
after  planting.  California  has  always  been  jealous  of  Oregon  and 
Washington  Territory,  so  that  an  allusion  to  this  section  from  that 
quarter  cannot  be  held  other  than  as  an  acknowledgment  forced  out 
by  the  facts.  We  quote  from  the  San  Francisco  Chronicle,  as  follows: 

"Eastern  Washington  Territorv  is  probably  destined  to  become  the 
richest  and  most  renowned  wheat  growing  region  in  the  world.  The 
great  body  of  its  arable  land  is  in  the  southern  portion,  known  locally 
as  the  Spokane,  Walla  Walla,  Palouse  and  Yakima  Countries,  which 
have  an  unbroken  area  more  than  150  miles  square,  extending  from 
the  foot-hills  of  the  Cascade  Mountains  eastward  to  the  Idaho  boundary 
line,  and  from  the  Oregon  line  northward  beyond  the  Great  Bend  of 
the  Columbia  River.  But  Eastern  Washington,  in  its  entirety,  is  dis- 
tinctively an  agricultural  region  of  great  fertility ;  for,  in  addition  to 
its  vast  scope  of  rolling  prairies  and  plains  in  the  southern  and  middle 
sections,  there  are,  in  its  more  northerly  portion  and  extending  so  far 
as  the  British  Possessions,  numerous  rich  and  well  watered  valleys, 
such  as  the  Okinakane  and  Colville  Valleys,  the  latter  of  long  standing 
fame.  Eastern  Washington  has  been  described  as  the 'Valley  of  the 
Columbia  River  in  Washington  Territory,  lying  east  of  the  Cascade 
Mountains.'  The  appropriateness  of  this  description  will  readily 
appear  by  an  examination  of  your  map,  showing  the  courses  of  this 
river  and  its  numerous  tributaries.  Here  the  climate  is  most  favorable 
to  health,  the  soil  yields  the  largest  average  return  of  wheat,  drouth  is 
unknown,  the  crops  never  fail,  and  the  ultimate. capacity  for  produc- 
tion of  cereals  of  the  highest  grade  has  been  estimated  by  good  judges 
as  high  as  150,000,000  bushels  per  annum. 

"  Northeasterly  extends  the  great  Pulouse  Country,  which  covers  a 
fertile  circle  of  land,  almost  illimitable  in  extent,  and  whose  produc- 
tiveness has  been  proven  by  trial  experiments,  here  and  there,  in 
advance  of  its  occupation  for  general  husbandry,  which  now  is  to  be 
heralded  by  the  advent  of  railroads.  The  people  of  the  Willamette 


21 


Valley  have  constrained  themselves  to  believe  that  theirs  was  the 
garden  of  the  world  and  but  one  remove  from  Paradise,  but  the  fact 
confroms  them  that,  in  point  of  productiveness  and  diversity  of  cereals, 
fruit  and  vegetables,  the  new  land  we  have  referred  to,  can  anywhere 
double-discount  it.  Dr.  Blalock,  than  whom  no  one  is  more  entitled  to 
the  honors  of  discovery  of  this  bonanza  of  agricultural  wealth,  has 
demonstrated  to  anyone's  satisfaction,  who  will  give  it  an  examination, 
that,  not  only  the  elevated  plains,  where  his  first  efforts  were  made,  but 
the  sage  lands,  which  were  considered  the  barrenness  of  desolation, 
can  be  made  to  blossom  as  the  rose.  His  farm  in  the  'sage-brush 
tract,'  from  which  some  of  the  finest  peaches  ever  seen  have  been 
received  at  the  Oregonian  office,  will  yield  a  great  variety  of  fruits, 
besides  all  kinds  of  vegetables  ;  but  the  bulk  of  this  tract  produced  a 
yield  in  wheat  and  barley  which  would  put  to  effort  the  best  producing 
grain  lands  of  the  Willamette  Valley  to  exceed.  The  Doctor  is  the 
modern  Colossus  of  wheat-growers,  and  enjoys  the  proud  distinction 
of  being  the  largest  producer  per  acre  in  the  world— 1,000  acres  of  his 
2,400-acre  hillside  farm  having  yielded  in  excess  of  50,000  bushels  of 
wheat  the  present  season." 

To  further  verify  our  statement  as  to  the  productive  qualities  of 
this  section,  we  append  an  extract  from  a  letter  written  by  Philip 
Ritz,  on  oJd  settler  and  a  practical  farmer  and  fruit-grower  in  Eastern 
Washington.  Mr.  Ritz  says  : 

"Wheat,  rye,  oats  and  barley  grow  finely  without  irrigation  in  all 
our  soils  which  contain  clay  or  loam,  and  can  be  raised  on  the  sandy 
portion  of  the  valley,  with  irrigation.  Three  years  ago,  when  our  val- 
ley contained  a  population  of  less  than  six  thousand  souls,  all  told,  we 
raised  about  a  million  bushels  of  grain,  seven  hundred  thousand  bush- 
els of  which  were  wheat." 

"I  have  seen  large  fields  of  wheat  average  fifty-six  bushels  to  the 
acre,  and  weigh  sixty-two  pounds  per  bushel;  and  have  seen  fields 
which  yielded  forty  to  fifty  bushels  per  acre  from  a  volunteer  crop — 
that  is,  produced  the  second  year  from  grains  scattered  out  during 
harvest,  sprouting  during  the  fall,  and  growing  even  without  har- 
rowing." 

"We  generally  raise  the  variety  known  as  'club'  and  sow  it  in  the 
fall  or  spring.  We  produce  about  forty  bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre,  of 
the  large  Yellow  Dent  variety,  and  it  ripens  nicely  bj  the  first  of 
September." 

"The  potato  is  perfectly  at  home  here,  growing  large,  fine  and 
mealy.  I  let  a  neighbor  have  nine  pounds  of  the  Early  Goodrich  va- 
riet\"  last  spring,  from  which  he  raised  1,575  pounds.  Sweet  potatoes 
yield  finely,  but  they  are  not  so  sweet  as  farther  south.  Turnips, 
beets,  cabbages,  tomatoes,  peas,  beans,  onions,  are  all  raised  with  ease, 
and  in  great  abundance." 

"Although  this  country  has  been  settled  but  a  few  years,  there  are 
already  a  number  of  fine  bearing  orchards.  I  commenced  here  six 
years  ago  last  spring,  on  ground  that  had  never  been  fenced  or  plowed. 
After  thoroughly  plowing  up  about  five  acres  of  ground,  I  planted  it  in 


22 


orchard  with  small  yearling  trees.  This  season  I  had  a  thousand 
bushels  of  the  finest  peaches  that  I  ever  saw  grown,  fully  equal  to  the 
best  Delaware  and  New  Jersey  peaches,  besides  large  quantities  of  ap- 
ples, pears,  plums,  cherries j  apricots,  grapes  and  every  variety  of 
small  fruits.  Fruits  of  all  kinds  are  perfect  in  every  respect,  in  this 
climate,  particularly  plums,  the  curculio  having  never  been  seen.  I 
have  a  hundred  bearing  plum  trees;  one  imperial  gage  two  years  ago 
produced  four  hundred  pounds  of  delicious  rich  fruit,  which  brought 
eight  cents  per  pound;  last  year  it  had  about  the  same  amount  of  fruit r 
which  sold  for  twelve  and  a  half  cents  per  pound;  many  other  trees 
did  nearly  as  well.  There  is  a  large  number  of  orchards  just  coming 
into  bearing  in  the  country.  The  climate  is  so  dry  that  we  never  see 
any  tiling  like  mildew  or  rot  on  the  grape.  I  had  grapes,  last  summer, 
ripen,  and  have  a  fine  flavor,  although  they  lay  entirely  upon  the 
ground." 

We  turn  from  these  extracts  to  quote  again  from  the  valuable  re- 
port of  Lieut.  Symons,  giving  some  conclusive  facts  and  figures  bear- 
ing on  the  productive  qualities  of  this  region  tributary  to  our  embryo 
city.  He  says: 

"In  order  to  show  the  extraordinary  fertility  of  this  region  of  the 
Columbia  Riyer,  I  give  below  the  statistics  from  the  United  States  Cen- 
sus Office  of  the  average  yield,  per  acre,  of  the  cereals  grown  in  1879  la- 
the State  of  Oregon  and  Territories  of  Washington,  Idaho  and  Mon- 
tana, comprising  those  regions  drained  largely  by  the  Columbia 
River  and  its  tributaries  Montana  is  included  in  this  region  for  the 
reason  that,  while  most  of  the  Territory  is  drained  by  the  Missouri,  a 
large  proportion  of  the  cultivated  land  is  on  the  headwater  streams  of 
the  Columbia,  in  the  Missoula  basin." 

Cereals  of  the  United  States;  average  yield  per  crop  O/1879. 


STATES. 

Barley. 

Buck- 
whpsit. 

Indian 
corn. 

Oats. 

Rye. 

Wheat. 

31 

17 

22 

29 

16 

17 

Washington            

3H 

24 

19 

41 

14 

24 

as 

&J 

3o 

12 

24 

Montana,  

80 

13 

29 

88 

2(7 

27 

Average  for  above  region,  
Average  whole  United  States- 

33 

22 

18 
14 

25 

28 

85 
2fi 

18 
11 

23 
13 

"From  this  it  is  seen  that  the  average  yield  of  barley  per  acre  in 
this  Columbia  country  is  50  per  cent,  greater  than  the  average  yield  in 
the  whole  United  States,  including  this  region;  the  average  yield  of 
buckwheat  is  29  per  cent,  greater;  the  average  yield  of  Indian  corn  is  11 
per  cent,  less;  the  average  yield  of  oats  is  40  per  cent,  greater  ;  of  rye  is 
64  per  cent,  greater,  and  the  average  yield  of  the  most  important  cereal 
of  all,  wheat,  is  77  per  cent,  greater  than  the  average  of  the  United 
States." 

"I  give  below  the  avereage  yield  of  the  cereals  per  acre  of, the 


23 


cereal  crops  of  1879,  for  the  principal  agricultural  States  of  the  Union, 
aiid  those  \vnose  average  is  the  largest: 


STATES. 

Barley. 

Buck- 
wheat. 

Indian 
Corn. 

Oats. 

Rye. 

Wheat. 

Arkansas  

12 

6 

19 

13 

7 

6 

C'a-lifornia 

21 

22 

2X 

27 

9 

16 

Dakota 

17 

8 

22 

28 

10 

11 

Illinois  

22 

11 

36 

32 

16 

16 

Indiana 

23 

10 

31 

25 

12 

18 

Iowa 

20 

10 

42 

34 

15 

10 

Kan-'us    

13 

10 

31 

19 

12 

9 

Kentucky 

24 

10 

24 

11 

7 

10 

Massachusetts 

25 

12 

34 

31 

10 

16 

Michigan  

22 

IS 

35 

34 

13 

19 

Min  nesota 

9ft 

11 

34 

38 

16 

11 

jq 

11 

36 

21 

12 

12 

Nebraska  .       ...          . 

15 

11 

40 

96 

12 

9 

New  York 

22 

15 

33 

30 

11 

16 

North  Carolina  

U 

g 

12 

8 

5 

5 

Ohio 

30 

13 

34 

31 

13 

18 

Pennsvl  vania 

IQ 

V 

33 

27 

9 

13 

Texas              

II 

11 

12 

21 

g 

V  if  n  i  a 

17 

8 

16 

9 

7 

9 

Wisconsin  

25 

9 

34 

34 

14 

13 

"The  statistics  regarding  the  production  of  Irish  Potatoes  in  the 
States  and  Territories  where  they  are  principally  raised,  is  given  in  the 
following  table: 


STATES. 

Acres, 

Bushels. 

Yield  per 

acre. 

Washington  ....'... 

6,823 

1,035,177 

152 

Oregon  

11,106 

4.359,930 

122 

California  

55,471 

4,550,565 

82 

Connecticut  

32,375 

2,584,262 

80 

Illinois  

151,123 

10,365,707 

69 

Indiana 

91  9S5 

6  23°  246 

68 

Iowa  

121,358 

9,932,537 

82 

71,41*3 

7,999,625 

112 

32.660 

3,070,389 

94 

Michigan  

134,274 

10,923,060 

81 

51,419 

5,184.676 

101 

Nebraska    

28,374 

2,150,873 

76 

29,659 

3,358,828 

113 

41,683 

3,563,793 

85 

New  York  

349,903 

33,612,313 

96 

Ohio  

173,321 

12,719,215 

73 

•3*61111**  vl  vania  .   .. 

185,429 

16,284,819 

88 

Rhode  Island  

5,988 

606,793 

101 

38,855 

4,438,172 

114 

"Wisconsin  

99.266 

8.509,161 

86 

Dakota  

6,960 

664,086 

95 

"These  statistics  are  only  given  to  show  the  great  fertility  of  the 
soil  of  this  country  drained  by  the  Columbia,  its   adaptability  to  sup- 


UNIVERSITY 


24 


port  a  large  population  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  the 
enormous  crops  which  its  immense  acreage  must  yield  as  soon  as  a 
population  sufficient  for  their  cultivation  is  attained,  and  means  of 
transportation  provided.  This  country  is  far  away  from  the  seat  of 
government  and  is  very  little  known,  but  is  bound  soon  to  force  itself 
on  the  attention  of  the  country,  as  one  of  the  grandsst  portions  of  our 
domain,  unexcelled  by  any,  in  the  productions  of  the  earth, 
in  the  beauty,  extent,  and  yield  of  its  waters,  in  its  mountains 
clothed  with  splendid  forests  and  enfolding  mines  of  the  useful  and 
precious  metals,  and  in  its  climate." 

"In  consequence  of  its  great  and  sure  promise,  our  legislators 
should  look  upon  it  with  liberal  eyes  and  grant  abundant  aid  to  all  de- 
sirable works  of  public  improvement  which  may  be  undertaken  to 
facilitate  transportation,  sure  of  a  prompt  and  rich  return  in  the  in- 
creased prosperity  and  loyalty  of  the  people." 

"From  the  interior  water  ways,  the  Columbia  and  Snake  Rivers, 
should  be  removed,  as  far  as  practicable,  all  the  rocky  fetters  which 
prevent  and  hinder  full  and  free  navigation.  Commerce  will  require 
it,  the  people  will  demand  it,  and  it  must  be  done  sooner  or  later." 

We  have  claimed  Spokane  Falls  as  the  natural  mining,  milling, 
manufacturing  and  commercial  centre  for  this  vast  region,  and  we  will 
now  follow  with  the  facts  on  which  we  base  this  assertion.  Our  city  is 
young,  almost  dating  its  existence  from  the  time  of  the  entrance  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  so  that  we  cannot  present  a  stupendous 
array  of  figures  and  statistics  to  prove  our  point,  but  we  will  appeal  to 
facts  equally  conclusive  and  convincing.  We  shall  briefly  allude  to 
its  location  and  history,  and  more  fully  to  the  resources  and  future 
demands  of  the  country  of  which  it  must  ever  remain  the  trade  centre, 
and  to  some  of  the  enterprises  which  this  country  demands,  showing; 
that  they  can  succeed  best  if  located  here.  We  shall  endeavor  to  show 
the  superiority  of  our  water  power  and  its  adaptability  to  various 
manufactories  ;  with  the  materials  for  such  in  easy  reach,  and  the  home 
market  for  their  products.  We  shall  endeavor  to  show  this  the  natural 
supply  point  for  an  extensive  and  rich  mineral  district  and  the  induce- 
ments for  the  location  here  of  extensive  smelting  and  reduction  works. 
This  city  is  making  rapid  progress  in  educational  and  moral  advance- 
ment, and  we  shall  endeavor  to  show  that  it  possesses  all  the  natural 
elements,  advantages  and  surroundings  for  a  great  inland  metropolis. 


SPOKANE  FALLS, 


pfflEL  CITY  OB 


The  Advantages  af  its   Situation  and  its 

RESDTITCES  SnpErinrtn  any  Other 

in  the   Northwest, 


In  the  older  States  of  our  Union,  manufacturing  and  commercial 
centres  were  established  almost  entirely  on  account  of  the  location 
being  peculiarly  fitted  for  such  centres  of  trade.  With  the  march  of 
civilization  West  a  spirit  of  greater  enterprise,  push  and  determination 
seemed  to  be  possessed  by  the  people,  and  it  was  soon  discovered  that 
pluck,  /eal,  determination  and  enterprise  could  establish  and  build  up 
great  and  prosperous  cities,  even  though  they  might  not  possess  all 
the  natural  advantages  of  location  previously  thought  necessary 
thereto.  We  have  only  to  instance  Chicago,  Indianapolis,  Peoria, 
Kansas  City,  Denver,  Fargo  and  others  of  that  character,  to  prove  our 
assertion.  But,  when  a  place  has  all  the  possible  natural  ad  vantages  of 
location,  is  surrounded  with  vast  regions  of  the  most  productive  coun- 
try in  the  world,  inexhaustible  forests  of  the  finest  timber  and  moun- 
tains of  gold,  silver,  iron,  lead,  copper  and  coal,  and  is  peopled  at  the 
same  time  with  men  of  energy,  grit  and  go-ahead  enterprise,  with  an 
abiding  faith  in  the  future  and  full  of  determination  to  make  it  succeed 
success  may  be  said  to  be  already  assured.  Spokane  Falls  has  within 
itself  all  the  elements  which  have  operated  to  build  up  all  the  principal 
cities  of  this  continent,  and  does  not  have  to  depend  on  a  single  feature, 
as  almost  every  one  of  them  have  been  compelled  to  do.  Our  fathers 
depended  upon  a  good  location  and  its  peculiar  advantages  and  sur- 
roundings to  make  a  city ;  the  more  progressive,  stirring  Westerner 
often  depends  on  his  own  pluck  and  energy,  with  equal  success.  We 


26 


have  each  of  these  advantages  in  Spokane  Falls,  as  we  shall  endeavor 
to  fully  show  in  this  article,  and,  while  trusting  largely  on  the  former, 
we  do  not  undervalue  or  depreciate  the  latter  advantage.  We  know 
that  no  amount  of  natural  advantages  can  make  a  city  unless  there  are 
;good  earnest  men  within  its  own  limits.  Otherwise,  a  place  less  favored 
by  nature,  but  more  favored  with  enterprise,  will  make  immense 
-strides  of  progress,  while  the  place  which  nature  intended  should  be 
the  city  is  left  in  almost  its  primitive  condition. 

SITUATION. 

Spokane  Falls  is  situated  on  the  Falls  of  the  Spokane  River,  and 
takes  its  name  therefrom.  It  would  be  very  difficult  to  imagine  a  more 
beautiful  town-site.  The  river,  having  its  source  in  Lake  Coeur 
d' Alone,  flows  in  a  westerly  direction  until  its  junction  with  Hangman's 
Creek,  just  west  of  the  city,  where  it  turns  abruptly  to  the  north. 
From  the  falls,  the  ground  slopes,  on  the  south  side,  gradually  fora 

'little  more  than  half  a  mile,  where  it  rises  more  steeply  into  a  line  of 
small  pine  and  fir-clad  bluffs.  The  hillside  leading  up  to  the  top  of 
this  bluff  is  not  too  steep  to  build  on,  and  is  even  now  well  dotted  with 
residences,  many  of  them  of  a  very  handsome  and  substantial  charac- 
ter, and  several  of  our  most  prominent  citizens  are  preparing  to  make 

.their  permanent  home  in  that  part  of  the  city.  On  the  top  of  this  bluff 
is  a  handsome  plateau,  delightfully  situated  so  as  to  command  a  view 
of  the  present  city,  the  river,  the  falls  and  the  rolling  plain  stretching 
away  to  the  north,  with  its  background  of  towering  pines  and  rugged 
mountains.  This  plateau  will  surely  be  one  of  the  most  beautiful  resi- 
dence portions  of  the  city  in  the  ne.ir  future.  It  is  a  delightful  situa- 

:  tiou,  airy  and  cool  in  Summer,  and  high  enough  to  escape  the  fogs  of 
Fall  and  Winter.  Between  this  bluff  and  the  river  lays  the  city  proper, 

'  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  running  almost  through  its  centre.  The 
City  stretches  up  and  down  the  river  for  nearly  two  miles,  and  is  very 
beautiful  in  its  design  as  well  as  location.  It  is  regularly  laid  out,  with 
streets  and  avenues  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  feet  wide.  It  is  built 

•  on  a  solid  gravelly  foundation,  its  graded  streets  make  the  best  drives 
in  the  world,  and  mud  and  dust  are  practically  unknown.  There  will 

.never  be  any  need  of  pavements,  and  the  millions  of  dollars  spent  in 
that  way  in  other  cities  will  be  saved  to  Spokane  Falls.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  river  comparatively  little  improvement  has  yet  be'en  made, 
but  the  location  is  fully  equal  to  that  on  the  south  side,  a  large  area  has 
been  surveyed  into  town  lots,  and  the  city's  growth  for  the  next  few 
years  will  doubtless  be  largely  in  that  direction. 

PAST,  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE. 

In  alluding  to  the  marvelous  growth  of  Western  towns,  especially 
.those  along  the  line  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  the  West  Shore, 
published  in  Portland,  Oregon,  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  many  of 
them  have  but  a  "  mushroom"  growth  and  are  inflated  beyond  their 
proper  limit.  In  drawing  a  distinction  between  such  and  this  city,  it 
«ays :  "  A  year's  dependence  upon  its  own  resources  invariably 
reveals  the  character  of  a  town's  growth,  whether  it  is  founded  on  a 


27 


permanent  basis  or  has  only  been  inflated  by  an  organized  frboom.T  A- 
town  that  in  its  second  year  grows  still  faster  than  in  its  first,  w hose- 
trade  increases,  whose  wooden  buildings  are  supplanted  by  brick, 
whose  situation  renders  tributary  to  it  a  vast  extent  of  surrounding 
country,  rich  in  natural  resources  that  are  rapidly  undergoing  develop- 
ment, such  a  town  soon  demonstrates  that  its  growth  possesses  all  tho 
elements  of  stability.  But  when,  in  its  third  and  fourth  years  it  con- 
tinues to  grow  in  the  same  or  even  greater  ratio,  when  it  possesses 
within  itself  unrivaled  facilities  for  manufacturing,  and  when  its  rela- 
tion to  surrounding  regions  is  such  as  to  render  it  the  natural  railroad 
centre  for  all  the  arteries  of  commerce  by  which  the  products  of  those 
regions  are  brought  to  the  great  trunk  lines  which  span  the  continent, 
it  is  not  only  relieved  of  the  imputation  of  being  a  '  mushroom  city,' 
but  becomes  universally  recognized  as  a  natural  metropolis,  awaiting 
only  the  further  development  of  its  resources  to  become  a  large  city. 
Such  a  town  is  Spokane  Falls  !  u 

That  such  a  hopeful  look  into  the  future  may  not  appear  purely 
visionary,  it  is  only  necessary  to  take  a  glance  at  the  city's  past  history* 
It  is  not  yet  seven  years  since  the  original  townsite  was  first  platted  and 
surveyed,  and  the  growth  of  the  city  has  been  substantially  within  the 
past  tli  ree  years.  We  quote  from  a  sketch  written  by  Rev.  H.  T.  Cowley, . 
for  many  years  a  missionary  among  the  Indians  in  this  region  and 
now  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Spokane  Chronicle.  It  sounds  almost 
romantic  when  we  remember  that  the  place  described  now  has  a  popu- 
lation of  S,500  or  4,000  permanent  inhabitants,  with  business  houses, 
residences,  and  public  improvements  that  would  do  credit  to  a  city  ten 
times  its  size  and  age.  Mr.  Cowley  says  : 

"Beyond  the  memory  of  the  oldest  aboriginal  Spokane,  the 
enchanting  groves  of  pine  surrounding  the  Great  Falls  of  the  limpid 
mountain  river  which  takes  its  name  from  the  dominant  tribe  of 
Indians  who  held  sway  in  this  region,  have  been  the  favorite  camping, 
grounds  in  Summer  and  the  rendezvous  in  Winter,  of  the  Spokane 
Nation.  In  the  Spring  of  1873,  Mr.  J.  N.  Glover,  the  present  Mayor  of 
the  city,  and  the  only  original  pioneer  now  resident,  arrived  here  from 
Salem,  Oregon,  via  Lewiston,  prompted  by  the  reported  probable  selec- 
tion by  the  Northern  Pacific  Engineers  of  the  Spokane  Valley  as  a- 
favorable  route  for  the  projected  transcontinental  railroad.  Mr.  Glover 
found  himself  preceded  by  several  other  parties,  most  prominent 
among  whom  were  L.  R.  Scranton,  J.  J.  Downing  and  a  Mr.  Benjamin,, 
who  had  built  a  small  saw-mill  with  a  sash  and  muley  saw  run  by  an  old- 
fashioned  overshot  water-wheel.  A  part  of  the  old  frame  still  stands  in 
Mr.  Cannon's  present  mill.  Besides  these  men,  there  was  also  a  lawyer 
named  Swift  who  dispensed,  or  dispensed  with,  the  administration  of 
justice  as  suited  the  interest  of  his  clients.  In  fact,  there  was  a  decided 
tendency  to  anarchy  in  the  little  community,  .and  Mr.  Glover  had  no 
great  difficulty  in  persuading  the  proprietors  of  the  saw-mill  and  a  few 
cabins,  to  part  with  their  squatter's  rights  and  improvements  for  the 
sum  of  $4,000.  One  of  the  proprietors,  who  was  a  fugitive  from  justice 
on  the  charge  of  cattle  add  horse  thieving,  had  to  be  approached  in  the 
night  in  order  to  complete  the  purchase,  and  was  found  concealed  in 


true  dense  underbrush  near  one  of  the  ponds  over  the  river,  where  he 
had  been  hidden  some  time,  armed  to  the  teeth.  In  the  entire  region 
now  constituting  Spokane  Country,  there  were  probably  not  a  hundred 
souls.  Mr.  Glover  went  below  and  brought  up  his  wife  about  the  mid- 
dle of  August.  A  small  box  house,  had  been  built  by  the  former  mill 
owners  on  the  site  where  now  stands  the  rear  of  Glover  &  Gilliam's 
livery  stable,  and  this  had  to  answer  for  their  domicile  until  Fall.  Mr. 
Glover  went  below  again  and  bought  an  entire  new  outfit  of  machinery 
for  the  saw-mill  and  selected  a  stock  of  goods  in  Portland  for  their 
store.  The  machinery  was  put  in  operation  late  in  the  Fall,  and  before 
Winter  closed  in  they  had  run  out  100,000  feet  of  lumber  and  built  a 
store-room  and  dwelling  combined,  adjoining  the  first  building. 

"Quite  an  Indian  scare  occurred  this  year,  which  was  about  equally 
shared  by  both  the  natives  and  the  whites.  Unfounded  rumors  of  an 
expected  outbreak  got  alioat  and  were  magnified  by  the  Portland 
papers  until  it  created  such  an  excitement  that  several  left  the  country. 
It  was  reported  in  the  papers  that  Spokane  Garry,  who  was  represented 
as  an  educated  savage,  was  serving  written  notices  on  settlers  that  they 
must  give  up  their  claims  or  expect  to  feel  the  scalping  knife,  Hnd  that 
large  numbers  of  Indians  were  fortifying  at  White  Bluff,  on  the  Colum- 
bia River.  That  there  was  no  particle  of  foundation  for  the  rumor,  was 
evidenced  by  three  missionary  visits  to  the  Spokanes  that  season  by 
Rev.  H.  H.  Spaulding,  of  the  Nez  Perces  Mission,  at  Lapwai,  who  at 
the  urgent  solicitation  of  a  delegation  of  Spokanes,  came  and  preached 
among  them  and  baptized  two  hundred. 

"  The  Spring  opened  up  with  no  active  promise,  but  there  was  much 
to  be  done  in  the  way  of  improvements  to  incomplete  dwellings,  and 
several  hundred  thousand  feet  of  lumber  were  added  to  the  stock,  but 
there  was  only  a  limited  demand  and  but  very  little  money  in  the 
country.  The  principal  events  of  the  season  were  the  visit  of  General 
Jefferson  C.  Davis,  Department  Commander,  and  successor  of  the 
lamented  General  Canby.  General  Davis  arrived  the  evening  previous 
to  the  writer's  advent,  and  the  next  day  a  pleasant  pow-wow  was  held 
with  the  Indians,  who  had  just  returned  from  their  '  carnas  digging,' 
about  the  first  of  July.  The  writer  had  come  at  the  request  of  Fathe  r 
Spaulding,  who  had  during  the  visits  of  the  previous  year  become 
much  interested  in  the  Spokanes,  but  whose  last  sickness  had  prevented 
his  return  to  fulfill  his  promise.  The  Indians  were  not  only  peaceably 
inclined,  but  were  anxious  for  instruction  in  the  white  man's  ways. 
Satisfied  that  something  might  be  done  for  them,  the  writer  made 
arrangements  during  the  Summer  to  bring  his  family  from  Mt.  Idaho 
beyond  Lewiston,  and  establish  a  Mission  at  the  Falls.  The  Indians 
bargained  to  exchange  horses,  oats,  furs,  etc.,  for  lumber,  and  by  the 
aid  of  a  carpenter  named  Poole,  who  with  his  family  of  four  arrived  a 
day  later,  a  dwelling  and  school-house  were  built  for  the  mission. 

"  The  first  school  district  between  Spangle's  and  Colville  Valley 
was  organized  that  Fall  of  1874.  The  first  school  was  held  in  the 
writer's  house  and  comprised  four  pupils.  The  first  Territorial  election 
was  also  held  in  Spokane  Falls  Precinct  in  November  1874,  in  the  front 


29 


room  of  Mr.  Glover's  house  and  Hon.  Robert  Wimpy  was  elected 
Representative.  Messrs.  D.  F.  Percival,  L.  S.  Myers  and  another 
County  Commissioners;  J.  N.  Hofstetter,  Sheriff,  and  Mr.  J.  N.  Glover 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  The  county  seat  of  Stevens  County,  which  then 
included  all  of  Spokane,  Lincoln  and  Douglas  Counties,  was  then  at 
Fort  Colville,  and  thither  the  writer  went  on  a  journey  of  eighty-five 
miles  in  December,  to  secure  the  necessary  teacher's  certificate.  On 
his  return  the  writer  met  Deputy  Sheriff  Poole  at  Chewelah,  in  charge 
of  the  first  criminal  convicted  at  Spokane  Falls  for  theft  by  Justice 
Glover.  The  culprit  was  the  notorious  Susaune,  who  had  been  the 
Indian  wife  of  several  renegade  white  men. 

4 *The  Winter  and  Summer  of  1875,  was  one  of  great  financial 
depression  all  over  the  Coast,  and  but  very  little  improvement  was 
made  in  the  Spokane  Country.  During  the  Summer  of  this  season 
Rev.  S.  G.  Havermale,  then  a  presiding  elder  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
passed  through  the  town  with  his  wife  on  his  way  from  Colville,  and 
was  impressed  by  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  and  the  power  and  prob- 
able future  utility  of  the  Falls.  He  saw,  too,  that  it  would  bean  excep- 
tionally fine  location  for  educational  institutions  and  with  a  project  for 
the  establishment  of  an  academy,  he  decided  to  make  it  his  future 
home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Havermale  returned  late  in  the  Fall  of  1875  and 
pre-empted  what  is  now  known  as  Haverinale's  Addition  to  Spokane 
Falls,  and  the  water  power  adjoining  it. 

"  Early  in  the  Spring  of  1876  there  were  added  to  the  embryo  town 
Mr.  Frederick  Post  with  his  family,  having  decided  to  locate  here  his 
flouring  mill,  which  he  had  been  making  preparations  to  locate  at  the 
rapids,  ten  miles  up  the  river,  but  as  help  was  scarce  he  did  not  get  his 
mill  in  running  order  until  the  Winter  of  1877-78.  During  the  Spring 
and  Summer  of  1876  the  town  firm  built  a  storehouse  and  hall  on  the 
corner  where  now  stands  the  First  National  Bank.  This  building  was 
urged  to  completion  in  time  for  the  celebration  of  the  National  Cen- 
tennial. A  surprisingly  large  number  of  people  assembled  at  the  Falls 
that  year  from  the  whole  region  north  of  Snake  River  and  celebrated 
the  event  with  great  enthusiasm.  The  affair  was  quite  a  revelation  to 
the  settlers  of  the  region  as  it  was  not  dreamed  there  was  such  a 
population. 

"In  the  Spring  of  1877  the  town-site  firm  dissolved  partnership. 
The  mill  and  store  business  had  not  been  profitable,  but  Mr.  Glover 
held  on.  This  was  the  year  of  the  Nez  Perces'  outbreak,  and  was  the 
most  trying  period  of  the  history  of  our  settlement.  From  the  27th  of 
June  till  the  10th  of  August  there  was  a  season  of  intense  anxiety  for 
the  -safety  of  the  whole  upper  country,  and  many  removed  to  Walla 
Walla.  The  little  community  at  the  Falls,  however,  braved  it  through, 
and  suffered  no  harm.  On  the  10th  of  August,  General  Frank  Wheaton 
arrived  in  command  of  five  hundred  troops,  accompanied  by  Indian 
Inspector  E.  C.  Watkins,  for  the  purposes  of  preventing  the  return  of 
the  hostile  Nez  Perces  through  the  upper  mountain  passes,  for  over- 
awing the  natives,  and  for  arranging  to  place  them  on  reservations. 
The  troops  pitched  their  camp  on  Mr.  Havermale's  claim,  and  on  the 
15th,  16th  and  17th  of  August,  a  grand  council  was  held  with  all  the 


Indians  of  Eastern  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho,  except  Moses- 
band,  who  refused  to  come  in.  The  only  result,  however,  of  the 
council  and  the  presence  of  the  trnops,  was  to  inspire  confidence  among 
the  se  tiers,  and  the  establishment  of  two  companies  of  infantry  at  the 
Falls  for  wintering,  preparatory  to  building  Fort  Coeur  d'Alene.  The 
season  was  signalized  also  by  the  visit  of  General  Sherman  and  escort, 
who  came  through  here  from  the  East  and  arrived  here  via  the  Mullen 
Road.  It  was  on  this  trip  that  the  General  selected  the  site  of  the  above 
fort. 

i4The  Spring  of  1878  saw  the  departure  of  the  troops  to  Coeur 
d'Alene,  the  revival  of  the  prospects  for  building  the  Northern  Pacific 
Railroad,  and  on  the  arrival  of  Messrs.  Cannon  &  Browne,  whose  pur- 
chase of  an  interest  in  the  townsite  and  the  addition  of  a  large  stock  of 
goods  by  the  firm  of  Cannon,  Warner  &  Co.,  gave  a  fresh  impetus  to 
the  piace.  Mr.  Gray  built  the  beginnings  of  the  California  House,  and 
opened  it  on  Thanksgiving  Day  on  the  occasion  of  an  entertainment 
for  the  benefit  of  the  public  school  building  which  had  been  begun  in 
the  grove,  where  now  stands  the  Northern  Pacific  Freight  Warehouse^ 
The  next  year,  1879,  brought  with  it  the  surveying  of  the  route  for  the 
Northe  in  Pacific  Railroad,  the  establishment  wf  the  first  newspaper, 
the  Spokane  Times,  by  Hon.  F.  H.  Cook,  and  the  erection  of  the  large 
stores  of  F.  R.  Moore  &  Co.,  J.  T.  Graham,  Friedenrich  &  Berg,  R.  W.- 
Forrest, and  tiie  Northern  Pacific  Hotel  by  Arthur  &  Shaner.  In  the 
Fall  the  hardware  store  of  L.  Ziegler  and  Clark  &  Rickard  were  also 
added." 

This  is  a  graphic  and  accurate  picture  of  the  early  history  and 
foundation  of  our  city.  From  1879  progress  was  steady  but  slow  for 
two  or  three  years.  Few  lost  faith  in  the  town,  but  the  outlook  was 
not  always  the  most  hopeful.  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad — built 
from  Wallula  on  its  way  eastward — reached  here  in  1881,  and  with  it 
came  an  increased  prosperity,  but  it  was  not  until  the  Fall  of  1882  that 
the  Oregon  Railway  &  Navigation  Company's  Line  along  the  Columbia 
River  gave  the  place  railroad  communication  with  Portland,  and  it  was 
not  until  September  1883,  that  the  union  of  the  two  ends  of  the  North- 
ern Pacific  in  Montana  gave  it  an  outlet  to  the  East.  Certainly  the 
people  were  not  idle  during  this  time,  but  they  labored  under  the  dis- 
advantage of  being  practically  shut  out  from  the  outside  world. 
Really  the  first  opportunity  that  Spokane  Falls  had  of  making  known 
her  situation  and  advantages  came  with  the  completion  of  the  railroad, 
a  id  her  real  and  rapid  growth  actually  dates  from  that  period. 
Although  that  has  only  been  sixteen  months  ago,  half  of  which  have 
been  Winter  months,  and  the  last  six  have  witnessed  one  of  the  greatest 
financial  depressions  ever  felt  in  this  country,  yet  the  population  of  the 
city  has  vastly  more  than  doubled,  its  march  of  improvement  has  not 
been  checked,  and  greater  enterprises  of  public  improvement  than 
ever  before  are  being  inaugurated  for  the  coining  season.  One  of  the 
editors  of  the  Chicago  Times,  certainly  a  disinterested  party,  who 
visited  our  city  eight  months  ago,  wrote  of  it  to  that  paper  as  follows  . 

"The  wonder  of  the  place  is  its  immense  water-power,  and  which  in 
the  means  at  hand  for  utilizing  the  same  is,  perhaps,  greater  than  that 


31 


at  Minneapolis.  One  must  first  become  accustomed  to  the  grandeur 
and  beauty  of  the  scene,  and  which  fairly  rivals  Niagara,  before  any 
proper  conception  can  be  had  of  the  magnitude  of  the  ined  ium  in  a 
means  of  development  and  manufacture.  There  is  power  sufficient 
for  twice  the  spindles,  machines,  and  manufactures  of  the  New  Eng- 
land States— more  than  is  utilized  in  the  manufacturing  cities  of  Lowell, 
Manchester,  Birmingham,  Leeds,  Rochester,  and  Patterson  combined; 
is  in  excess  of  that  at  Minneapolis,  and  best  illustrated,  comparatively, 
with  that  at  Appleton,  Wis.  There  is  more  value,  in  dollars  and  cents, 
in  the  water-power  at  Spokane  Falls  than  is  possible  to  attain — more 
than  any  other  known,  unless  it  be  at  Appleton.  The  source  of  supply 
is  not  drawn  from  mountain  torrents,  but  covers  a  vast  extent  of 
undulating  country  in  Coeur  d'Alene  district,  proceeding  directly 
from  that  large  body  of  water,  is  reinforced  in  innumerable  streams, 
and  of  such  temperature  from  the  conditions  incident  that  its  flow  is 
perpetual,  and  "never  freezes."  Its  value  is  simply  incalculable,  and, 
with  the  immense  forests  at  hand  and  other  means  of  manufacture 
common  to  the  country,  must  prove  a  first  means  in  maintenance  of 
the  same.  The  natural  advantages  incident  with  such  diversity  of  in- 
terest tributary  to  its  doors  as  is  found  in  all  surroundings  fixed,  in  the 
natural  channel  of  trade,  such  condition  as  must  inevitably  result  in 
the  building  of  an  important  city." 

"Its  present  population  is  estimated  at  three  thousand,  the  charac- 
ter of  its  people  progressive,  its  institutions  liberal,  and  its  government 
good.  The  immediate  vicinity  is  a  gravel  formation,  with  prevailing 
ba.saltrock,  and  the  region  susceptible  in  grazing  purposes;  but  at  a  few 
miles  distance  a  general  change  to  fertile  prairie  transpires,  with  open 
country  extending  in  all  surrounding — save  at  the  east,  which  is  moun- 
tainous—with extensive  valleys  concluding  such  course  and  all  directly 
tributary  to  this  point.  North,  and  extending  to  the  Columbia,  is  Col- 
ville  Valley,  comprising  over  one  thousand  square  miles,  recently 
opened  to  settlement  and  offering  rare  inducements,  the  land  fertile, 
and  producing  extraordinarily  in  all  cereals.  South,  and  beginning 
within  the  limits  of  the  city,  farming  lands  extend  generally  to  the 
Farmington  country  and  to  Snake  River,  a  vast  region  of  highly -pro- 
ductive land,  mostly  occupied  and  among  the  older  settlements  of 
Eastern  Washington.  This  region  in  a  succession  of  valleys  extends 
from  Idaho  Line  on  the  east  to  Oregon  on  the  south,  from  Spokane 
River  on  the  north  to  the  Cascades  at  the  west.  A  railway  proceeding 
from  Spokane  Falls,  as  already  projected,  and  terminating  at  Levviston, 
is  to  traverse  such  district  in  early  comoletion,  and  will  establish  the 
importance  of  this  vicinity  beyond  any  present  means  of  estimate. 
Commencing  ten  miles  west  is  the  region  known  as  the  Big  Bend  of 
the  Columbia,  200  miles  long  by  150  wide  and  embracing  30,000  square 
miles,  now  sparsely  settled,  but  holding  rare  opportunity,  and  all 
tributary  to  Spokane  Falls.  To  the  east  in  a  distance  of  ninety  miles, 
and  with  the  best  practicable  route  determined,  is  the  famous  Coeur 
d'Alene  Country,  rich  in  mineral  and  promising  as  definitely  in  placer 
mines  as  is  common  to  the  age.  Whatever  there  may  be  in  it,  as  in 
other  surroundings  cited,  it  is  all  tributary  from  the  place  which  I 


32 


write,  and  the  building  of  a  city  at  Spokane  Falls  depends  in  no  man- 
ner upon  any  one  interest,  but  rather  comprises  the  resources  and  in- 
dustries of  the  whole  country.  In  this  there  is  unlimited  supply  in 
best  lurnber-rields,  grazing  regions,  agricultural  facilities,  and  the  best 
possible  means  in  every  manufacture.  The  place  was  a  considerable 
hamlet  rive  years  since,  is  not  the  creation  of  a  discovery,  nor  has  it 
come  from  the  excitement  common  to  a  mining  camp,  but  is  rather  the 
result  of  the  fortunate  combination  comprised.  In  promise  it  holds  all 
prominence,  and  occupies  as  favorable  a  situation  as  is  known  to  the 
country.  The  town  is  built  along  a  bold,  broad  plateau,  commands  the 
grandest  outlook,  and  embraces  the  most  enchanting,  captivating, 
loveliest  situation  possible  to  conceive.  The  falls,  of  which  there  are 
seven  separate  leaps— and  like  a  'lion's  paw'  in  the  various  divides  of 
the  stream — and  a  series  of  cascades,  are  the  one  grand,  unceasing  at- 
traction; but  the  place  in  all  its  relations  is  perfectly  elegant,  and  calcu- 
lated to  charm  the  beholder  in  every  sense.  For  tourists  and  observers 
it  is  a  perfect  sine  qua  non  in  any  first  trip  of  the  continent,  and  event- 
ually must  take  precedence  with  the  most  popular  resorts." 

THE  WATER  POWER. 

The  falls  of  the  Spokane  River,  within  the  limits  of  the  city,  are 
certainly  among  the  most  remarkable  in  the  world,  and  have  excited 
the  wonder  and  admiration  of  vistors  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 
We  do  not  believe  there  is  another  instance  where  so  many  favorable 
conditions  exist  for  handling,  controlling  and  utilizing  such  a  vast 
volume  of  water.  No  civil  engineer  could  have  designed  a  better  work 
than  has  been  done  here  by  Providence.  In  order  to  properly  appre- 
ciate the  situation  and  worth  of  these  falls,  it  will  be  necessary  to  de- 
scribe the  river  from  which  they  are  fed .  On  this  point  Lieut. 
Symons,  s&ys: 

"The  Spokane  River,  by  its  situation  and  characteristics,  is  bound 
to  play  an  important  part  in  the  settlement  and  ultimate  well  being  of 
the  whole  country  within  a  great  distance  of  it.  At  Spokane  Falls  is  a 
magnificent  water  power,  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world  and  situated  as 
it  is  in  the  midst  of  a  splendid  agricultural  country,  most  of  which, 
however,  is  treeless,  there  seems  no  room  to  doubt  that  it  will  become 
a  great  manufacturing  and  commercial  centre.  By  means  of  the  river 
and  Coeur  d'Alene  Lake,  and  the  tributary  streams  of  the  latter,  a 
magnificent  and  widely  extended  area  of  timber  land  lying  along  the 
Coeur  d'Alene  and  Bitter  Root  Mountains  can  be  made  to  yield  its 
forest-covering  for  transportation  by  water  to  Spokane  Falls,  there  to 
be  manufactured  into  lumber  and  distributed  throughout  the  agricul- 
tural lands  to  tiie  south  and  west.  In  return  for  this  lumber  and  fuel, 
these  lands  will  send  their  wheat  to  the  Falls  to  be  manufactured  into 
flour,  and  sent  from  there  to  the  seaboard  to  be  shipped  to  the  markets 
of  the  world.  Large  portions  of  the  country  are  better  suited  for  pas- 
toral purposes  than  for  agricultural,  and  it  is  reasonable  to  expect  that 
here  at  these  falls  will  be  erected  great  woolen  manufactories,  to  work 
up  the  raw  products  of  the  country  into  cloths  and  blankets  required 


by  the  inhabitants  thereof.  Large  quantities  of  brown  hematite  ironr 
ore  have  been  found  near  the  Spokane  River,  below  the  Falls,  and  it  is 
known  that  other  iron  deposits  lie  to  the  north.  Quantities  of  flax  have 
been  grown  the  past  few  years  in  the  country  to  the  south  of  Spokane 
Falls,  and  it  must  also  be  brought  to  this  great  water  power  to  be 
manufactured  into  thread,  cloth,  etc.,  and  the  seed  into  oil.  The  num- 
ber of  manufacturing  enterprises  for  which  this  place  seems  adapted  is 
very  great.  I  may  enumerate,  besides  those  mentioned,  the  manufac- 
ture of  all  kinds  of  wooden  ware,  of  agricultural  and  farm  implements, 
wagons,  carriages,  furniture,  leather,  harness,  boots  and  shoes,  pork, 
beer,  and  iron  and  metal  works  in  great  variety.  The  Spokane  Kiver, 
in  the  upper  part  of  its  course,  presents  the  estimable  peculiarity — 
especially  valuable  in  view  of  its  use  as  a  water  power — of  never 
freezing.  It  seems  to  be  fed -by  many  springs  between  the  Falls  and 
Coeur  d'Alene  Lake,  which  have  the  effect  in  the  coldest  weather,  of 
keeping  the  temperature  above  the  freezing  point.  It  would  seem  as  if 
nature  could  not  have  done  more  to  make  this  a  great  manufacturing 
and  commercial  centre,  and  a  beautiful,  healthy  and  attractive  place." 

Lake  Coeur  d'Alene,  the  source  of  the  Spokane  River,  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  beautifully  located  sheets  of  water  in  the  Northwest, 
well  stocked  with  the  finest  trout  and  is  surrounded  by  mountains  cov- 
ered with  forests  of  the  finest  timber  and  containing  a  large  variety  of 
wild  game.  The  depth  of  the  lake  has  never  been  fathomed,  though 
plummets  have  been  sunk  1,800  feet.  The  water  is  very  clear,  and  the 
bottom  can  be  easily  seen  at  a  depth  of  fifty  feet.  Its  area  is  between 
150  and  200  square  miles.  Its  outlines  are  very  irregular  and  the  scen- 
ery surrounding  it  is  very  enchanting.  The  principal  feeders  of  this 
lake  are  the  Coeur  d'Alene  and  Saint  Joseph  Rivers,  each  of  which  are 
navigable  for  steamboats  for  many  miles.  The  timber  section  sur- 
rounding this  lake  covers  an  area  of  over  200  square  miles.  Its  mag- 
nificent forests  of  pine,  cedar,  fir,  hemlock  and  other  woods  are  pia"- 
tically  inexhaustible,  and  it  is  the  only  timber  region  of  that  magnitude 
on  the  Pacific  Coast  which  is  tributary  to  water  power.  The  logs  from 
this  timber  region  can  be  run  down  the  rivers  and  streams  flown  g  into 
Lake  Coeur  d'AJene,  and  from  there  down  the  Spokane  River  to  the 
Falls.  The  Spokane  River  has  been  pronounced  the  finest  logging 
stream  in  the  world  by  experienced  lumber  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  The  river  is  swift  and  deep,  with  hard  basalt  bed,  steep 
banks  and  clear  cut  shores.  The  current  will  average  about  three  milea 
per  hour.  The  vast  Columbia  Basin,  which  en: braces  an  area  of  nearly 
250,000  square  miles,  or  over  140,000,000  acres,  is  bountifully  watered, 
but  hus  no  convenient  water  power  near  the  forests  which  cover  most 
of  the  mountains  and  hills.  The  streams  generally  flow  in  rugged, 
inaccessible,  narrow  canyons.  They  are  raging  torrents  during  the 
season  of  melting  snows,  and  carry  little  or  no  water  at  other  times — 
unsuited  for  logging  at  either  time.  By  the  time  they  reach  an  accessi- 
ble mill-site  they  have  readied  the  level  plain  and  lost  their  force  and 
power.  The  Spokane  River  is  the  single  exception  to  this  rule.  1^ 
seems  that  nature  planned  to  place  this  water  power  at  a  point  where 
railroads  and  other  means  of  transportation  could  reach  the  mills  and 


34 


manufactories  which  it  should  operate.  Instead  of  being  shut  in  by 
impassable  barriers,  it  is  located  thirtj'-five  miles  out  on  the  plains 
The  river  being  so  swift  at  high  water  would  sweep  away  barriers 
erected  for  its  control  were  it  not  for  another  noble  work  of  nature. 
Instead  of  being  in  one  volumo,  the  river  at  the  Falls  divides  into  seven 
different  channels,  separated  by  islands  of  black  basalt  rock  as 
hard  as  steel.  The  banks  and  bottom  of  the  river  are  of  the  same 
material,  which  ages  cannot  wear  away.  Another  aid  to  controlling  the 
water  is  the  fact  that  there  are  a  succession  of  eight  falls  averaging 
about  twenty  feet  and  one  great  fall,  where  all  the  channels  re-unite,  of 
about  seventy  feet.  The  rapids  and  falls  extend  over  a  linear  distance 
of  nearly  half  a  mile,  and  the  fall  of  the  river  in  that  distance  is  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  feet.  Ai  extremely  low  water  these  falls  are  esti- 
mated by  competent  engineers  to  furnish  144,323  horse-power,  and  at 
an  average  stage  214,954  horse-power.  By  a  system  of  flumes  and 
dams,  which  could  easily  be  constructed,  this  could  be  vaslly  increased. 
Above  Big  IsLmd,  a  dam  six  feet  in  height  can  be  constructed  at  a  cost 
not  to  exceed  $3,000,  and  from  this  water  can  be  flumed  down  both 
main  shores  and  along  the  islands,  furnishing  abundant  power  to  a 
hundred  great  mills  and  factories  before  returning  to  the  river  chan- 
nels above  the  main  fall.  A  flume  or  flumes  projected  from  the  chan- 
nel bed  of  the  river  at  any  point  below  the  h'rst  of  the  cascades  would 
furnish  almost  unlimited  power  all  along  the  river  for  a  mile  or  more. 
But  one  of  the  most  remarkable  features  of  this  river  is  the  excellent 
provision  nature  has  made  for  controlling  the  stage  of  water  at  the 
Falls.  About  twelve  miles  from  the  reservoir  ( Lake  Coeur  d'Alene) 
the  river  bed  is  contracted  by  jutting  walls  of  great  basaltic  rocks 
coming  so  close  together  that  they  act  as  a  gateway  or  dam  to  hold  back 
the  waters  of  the  lake  when  its  volume  is  so  vastly  increased  by  the 
melting  snows  of  the  mountains.  This  natural  dam  is  so  effective  that 
no  matter  how  high  the  lake  rises,  the  water  at  Spokane  Falls  never 
rises  more  than  six  feet.  It  also  checks  the  flow  of  the  water  so  that 
the  mud  brought  down  the  mountain  streams  settles  to  the  bottom  of 
the  lake  and  the  drift  wood  is  lodged  along  its  banks,  leaving  the 
waters  in  the  Spokane  clear  of  either.  With  slight  improvements,  this 
dam  can  be  made  so  effective  that  the  supply  of  water  at  the  Falls  can 
be  regulated  at  will,  A  prominent  manufacturer  from  Lowell,  Massa- 
chusetts, who  visited  our  city  during  the  past  Summer,  when  told  of 
this  advantage,  pronounced  this  water-power  the  best  on  the  conti- 
nent. Governor  PiJlsbury,  the  Minneapolis  miller,  of  world-wide 
reputation,  admired  the  water  power  chiefly  because  of  the  ease  with 
which  it  can  be  controlled  and  the  inexpensiveness  of  utilizing  it,  and 
this  is  the  universal  expression  of  all  who  have  inspected  it. 

THE  SURROUNDING  COUNTRY. 

Stretching  along  the  Spokane  River  from  the  falls  to  Lake  Coeur 
d'Alene  is  a  gravelly  plain  from  one  to  four  miles  wid^  which  is  very 
beautiful  in  appearance  but  of  the  productive  qualities  of  which  there 
are  various  opinions.  Some  excellent  wheat  has  been  grown  in  places, 
but  there  are  doubts  as  to  whether  there  is  sufficient  soil  mixed  with  the 


35 


gravel  to  make  that  crop  profit  \ble  from  year  to  years.  Its  fruit  pro- 
ducing qualities,  however,  are  thought  to  be  excellent.  So  well ;  satis- 
fied are  the  people  of  this  fact  that  almost  every  tract  is  occupied  by 
filings  in  the  Land  Office.  With  the  exception  of  this  tract,  the  arable 
lands  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Spokane  Falls  is  limited.  South  of  the 
city  for  a  few  miles  the  land  is  broken  arid  rocky,  though  w«.ll  wooded, 
Frequently  patches  of  a  few  acres  are  very  fertile  but  the  other  portions 
are  not  suitable  for  the  production  of  grain.  Fruits  and  vegetables  do 
well.  Four  or  five  miles  south  is  Moran  Prairie,  containing  several 
thousand  acres  of  fine  farming  lands  as  well  as  alarge  grazing  domain. 
About  the  same  distance  north  is  Plateau  Prairie,  a  level  elevation  con- 
taing  three  thousand  acres  of  the  finest  land  to  be  found  anywhere. 
East  of  this  is  Peone  and  Pleasant  Prairies,  each  much  larger  in  extent 
than  the  first  named  and  Very  productive — equally  so  with  Illinois, 
lovra  or  Minnesota.  Going  west  six  miles  we  come  to  the  White  Bluff 
Prairie,  containing  a  large  extent  of  fine  land,  but  little  inferior  to  those 
named.  A  few  miles  farther  aw -ay  are  larger  bodies  of  tine  land,  much  of 
which  still  remains  unoccupied  but  is  being  rapidly  settled.  Among 
these  are  the  Rockford  and  Farmiugton  country  to  the  south  and  east, 
the  Palouse  Section  to  the  south  and  southwest,  the  Big  Bend  region 
west  and  the  Colville  and  Chewelah  country  farther  north.  These  are 
all  rich  in  their  agricultural  poss.bilities.  All  kinds  of  grain  do  Wv.ll. 
The  tame  grasses  may  also  be  grown  successfully  and  dairying  is  des- 
tined soon  to  become  a  prominent  industry  here  in  connection  with 
agriculture  and  fruit  raising.  Prices  of  dairy  products  have  ruled 
higher  on  this  Coast  ever  since  its  first  settlement  than  in  the  principal 
cities  of  the  Eastern  Coast  and  are  so  ruling  to-day.  Indeed  butter  and 
cheese  are  shipped  in  here  all  the  way  from  Minnesota  and  beyond  at  a 
profit.  And  tnis  in  the  face  and  eyes  of  the  fact  that  a  few  dairymen 
are  demonstrating  to  their  satisfaction,  financial  and  otherwise,  and  to 
the  satisfaction  of  all  observers  that  dairying  can  be  carried  on  as  suc- 
cessfully here  as  in  New  York  State. 

In  calling  attention  to  the  vast  agricultural  regions  tributary  to 
Spokane  Falls  we  clip  the  following  from  a  recent  number  of  the 
Northwest  published  in  S:.  Paul,  Minn.: 

"A  few  people  who  went  out  to  Washington  this  season  with  the 
intention  of  settling,  have  returned,  because  they  did  not  see  any  good 
farming  land  open  to  seLlement.  These  people  sutt'ered  from  their 
own  ignorance.  If  they  had  informed  themselves  about  the  country r 
they  would  have  known  that  the  agricultural  belts  of  Eastern  Wash- 
ington are  not  seen  from  the  railroad,  but  lie  both  north  and  south  of 
t  in  large  fertile  areas,  easily  reached  from  the  towns  of  Spokane  Falls, 
Cheney,  or  Kitzville.  The  most  extensive  of  these  bolts  is  250  miles 
long,  reaching  from  the  timber  country  which  the  railroad  traverses 
after  crossing  the  Idaho  Line,  southwest  to  the  Blue  Mountains,  south 
of  Walla.  Walla.  This  is  the  region  where  the  farmers  harvest  fifty 
bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre,  and  where  the  dry  bunch  grass  supports 
horses  and  cattle  all  winter,  so  that  they  are  fat  in  the  spring.  North 
and  northwest  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Road  is  another  good  stretch  of 
rolling  prairie,  called  the  Big  Bend  Country,  just  beginning  to  fill  up 


with  settlers.    The  people  who  turn  back  from  Eastern  Washington 
this  year  because  they  cannot  find  good  agricultural  land,  should  ap- 
ply for  guardians  when  they  get  back  to  their  old  homes." 
LIVE  STOCK. 

Oregon  and  Washington  Territory  are  undoubtedly  the  best 
country  for  cattle  in  the  United  States.  The  farmers  allow  their  cattle 
to  roam  at  large  nearly  the  whole  of  the  year,  only  providing  fodder 
for  them  during  a  short  time  in  winter.  Sometimes  in  cold  weather 
stock  suffers;  but  as  a  rule  it  does  well  in  the  open  air.  During  the 
winter  of  1882-83  no  fodder  was  needed. 

Horses  of  an  excellent  type  are  largely  raised.  The  soil  and 
climate,  combined  with  good  blood,  have  produced  not  only  the  best 
draught  animals,  but  also  good  trotters  and  carriage  horses.  Much 
money  "has  been  invested  in  fine  imported  stock,  from  the  heaviest 
Percherons  and  Ch'desdales  to  the  fleetest  thoroughbreds.  The  horses 
raised  east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains  excel  those  of  other  sections  in 
Bpeed.  This  is  due  to  the  bunch  grass  pasturage  and  the  distance  to 
watering  places.  The  animals  sometimes  go  on  a  fast  trot  for  ten  m  les 
from  their  feeding  places  to  water,  thus  developing  muscle  from  their 
birth.  In  the  bunch  grass  districts  grass  costs  nothing. 

Sheep  husbandry  is  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  productive  in- 
dustries, being  carried  on  under  the  most  favorable  conditions  of 
climate.  Sheep  farmers  prefer  the  ranges  close  to  the  mountains, 
where  they  say  the  greatest  variety  of  grasses  grow  upon  which  the 
sheep  thrive  best.  Lambing  time  is  in  April  and  shearing  in  May.  In 
June  the  flocks  are  driven  to  the  mountains,  where  they  fatten  and  the 
young  become  vigorous.  These  mountains  are  often  covered  with 
open  pine  forests,  through  which  very  nutritious  grasses  grow,  different 
in  nature  from  the  bunch  grass  of  the  plains.  The  wool  produced  in 
the  Pacific  Northwest  is  fast  taking  rank  with  the  best  fleeces  which 
reach  the  East  and  has  a  reputation  of  its  own  in  New  York  and  Boston. 
The  wool  clip  in  this  Territory  for  1884  is  estimated  as  high  as  6,000,000 
pounds.  Woolen  mills  are  even  now  demanded  at  Spokane  Falls  and 
the  demand  will  increase  continually. 

The  pastoral  domain  is  much  greater  than  many  stockmen  imagine. 
In  the  region  of  the  Great  Plain  of  the  Columbia,  and  which  is  directly 
tributary  to  Spokane  Fails,  it  comprises  over  0,000,000  acres.  It  in- 
cludes the  "scab  land"  sections,  the  broken  plateaus  and  slopes 
not  suitable  for  farming,  but  which  produce  excellent  grass.  Cattle 
and  sheep  can  often  be  taken  off  the  range  fat  enough  for  slaughtf  r, 
which  cannot  truthfully  be  said  of  any  other  part  of  the  country.  The 
meats  are  tender  and  sweet  and  are  sold  in  the  markets  here  at  prices 
not  above  those  in  Iowa  and  Minnesota.  Even  then  the  stockman  has 
many  advantages  over  those  in  that  section  where  stall  feeding  during 
the  winter  months  is  absolutely  necessary. 


The  Big  Bend  Country. 


To  the  west  of  the  Falls  is  situated  a  magnificent  empire  worthy  a 
special  description.  First  comes  the  fields  and  cattle  ranges  of  Lincoln 
County,  a  region  but  recently  an  unoccupied  wilderness  and  now  form- 
ing a  county  by  itself,  through  which  runs  a  good  wagon  road,  giving 
easy  communication  with-this  city. 

Beyond  Lincoln  County  lies  the  famous  Big  Bend  Country,  another 
yast  agricultural  country  tributary  to  Spokane  Falls,  from  which  hun- 
dreds of  settlers  start  with  their  wagons  loaded  with  supplies  purchased 
there.  A  good  road  leads  all  the  way  to  the  Grand  Coulee  (Indian 
name  for  waterway,)  which  was  once  a  secondary  channel  of  the 
Columbia,  and  marks  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  region  under  con- 
sideration. The  Coulee  commences  on  the  present  course  of  the 
Columbia  River,  between  the  Sinopel  and  Nespilem  Rivers,  and 
extends  in  a  southwesterly  direction  for  fifty-five  miles,  when  it  merges 
into  the  boulder-covered  sage-brush  plain  once  the  bed  of  a  prehistoric 
lake.  It  is  a  deep  chasm,  with  vertical  walls,  averaging  about  350  feet 
in  height,  and  impassable  throughout  its  extent,  excepting  at  one  point 
about  midway  in  its  course,  where  tha  walls  are  broken  down  so  a  good 
wagon  pass  is  formed.  Stretching  away  to  the  west  for  sixtj-  miles,  by 
ninety  miles  north  and  south,  lies  the  largest  area  of  good  agricultural 
land  in  one  body  in  Washington  Territory.  Spreading  out  in  swell 
after  swell  of  rolling  prairie,  to  the  bluffs  on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia 
on  the  west  and  north,  und  to  the  prehistoric  lake  before  mentioned  and 
the  Badger  Mountains,  lies  as  fair  a  country  as  ever  the  sun  shone 
upon,  comprising  an  area  of  3,000  square  miles,  which  will  make  9,000 
farms  of  160  acres  each,  and  leave  500,000  acres  in  the  belt  of  bluffs  on 
the  Columbia  River  and  in  the  Badger  Mountains,  nearly  all  o  which 
is  covered  with  timber  and  is  fine  grazing  land.  The  whole  prairie  is 
covered  with  a  tall  rank  growth  of  bunch-grass,  from  tde  great  abun- 
dance of  which  it  has  by  many  been  called  the  Bunch- Grass  Country, 
and  the  finest  farming  lands  in  Washington  Territory  are  the  bunch- 
grass  .sections.  The  soil  of  this  prairie  is  very  rich  and  fertile,  varying 
in  depth  from  a  few  feet  to  hundreds  of  feet,  and  the  wonderful  veget- 
ables, in  size  equalling,  and  in  quality  surpassing  California  itself,  the 
prodigious  grain  crops,  the  luscious  peaches,  grapes  and  other  fruits 
raised  at  the  old  Wenatchee  Crossing  of  the  Columbia,  point  with 
unerring  certainty  to  the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  its  adaptation  to  the 
raising  of  all  the  grains,  fruits  and  vegetables  of  the  temperate  zone. 

This  region  was  erected  into  a  separate  county  called  "  Douglas"  by 
the  last  Legislature,  with  the  county  seat  located  at  the  new  town  of 
Okanogan.  During  the  past  year  a  large  number  of  settlers  have  gone 


in  there,  and  the  experiments  in  agriculture  have  been  very  satisfac- 
tory. Considering  all  of  its  advantages,  in  fertility  of  soil,  extent  and 
climate,  competent  judges  have  pronounced  the  Big  Bend  Coun  ry 
superior  to  the  far-famed  valleys  of  the  Willamette  and  Walla  Walla. 
Spokane  Falls  is  now  and  must  ever  continue  the  supply  point  for  this 
vast  region  which  is  destined  in  a  few  years  to  be  densely  populated* 
A  railroad  from  this  city  through  that  region  is  already  projected  and 
will  be  built  soon  A  letter  written  fron:  an  actual  settler  in  the  Big 
Bend  Country  to  the  Oregouian,  December  20th,  makes  these  state- 
ments : 

"As  we,  in  the  Big  Bend,  are  beginning  to  feel  sure  of  what  we  say, 
we  need  have  no  hesitation  about  saying  it,  and  letting  the  world  at 
large  known  what  sort  of  a  country  we  have.  There  is  nearly  as  great 
a  difference  between  Eastern  and  Western  Oregon  and  Washington  as 
betueen  California  and  Minnesota,  in  climate,  productions  and  general 
adaptability.  Eastern  Washington  may  be  divided  into  two  classes  of 
country — stock  country  and  farming  country.  The  best  stock  country 
is  in  the  poorest  agricultural  districts  as  a  rule,  i.  e.,  the  stony  "scab 
lands"  are  usually  well  watered  by  small  ponds,  and  furnish  plenty  of 
grass — bu  ich  grass  and  r\-e  grass.  North  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
Railroad  there  are  about  12,000  square  miles  of  territory,  about  9.500  of 
which  is  first-class  farming  lands,  and  the  balance  mixed  but  mostly 
stock  range.  As  nearly  as  can  be  estimated  there  are  about  50,000 
farms,  of  160  acres  each,  north  of  the  railroad.  At  least  three-fourths 
of  this  area  is  claimed  by  settlers,  and  the  rest  is  being  rapidly  taken 
up;  the  only  drawback  to  the  development  of'the  country  being  a  lack 
of  transportation.  Farmars  cornpla*in  greatly  because  they  have  ,no 
means  of  shipping  their  produce  to  a  consuming  market.  But  it  seems 
even  this  cannot  long  be  against  the  successful  development  of  this 
part  of  the  Territory,  for  jve  have  one  of  the  noblest  rivers  on  the 
Coast  waiting  far  boats  to  be  put  on  it;  and  a  wide  belt  of  the  finest 
agricultural  land  in  the  Nortwest,  which  would  be  self-sustaining,  and 
is  capable  of  sustaining  a  railroad,  in  case  it  should  be  built  from  the 
Northern  Pacific  at  Spokane  Fall-,  thence  west  through  the  Brents 
Country  to  Okanogan  City,  crossing  the  Columbia  River  near  Priest 
Rapids,  and  passing  through  the  Snoqualrnie  Pass  or  through  the 
Metlow  Country  to  Puget  Sound;  or  down  the  Columbia  to  Portland. 
Either  of  these  plans  are  feasible,  and  no  doubt  one  will  be  begun  at 
an  early  day." 

We  also  make  some  extracts  from  a  letter  written  from  that 
country  by  Mr.  H.  N.  Wilcox  to  a  gentleman  in  this  city  in  answer  to 
inquiries  respecting  the  outlook  and  productive  qualities  of  the  prairies 
of  the  Big  Bjnd.  Mr.  Wilaox  located  there  permanently  less  than  a 
year  ago  and  has  had  little  opportunity  to  make  tests,  but  as  he  is  a 
practical  farmer  of  large  exparience  in  the  States,  his  opinions  and  ex- 
perience here  is  valuable.  The  letter  was  written  without  the  least 
thought  of  its  finding  its  way  into  print;  was  written  to  a  personal 
friend  and,  therefore,  is  the  calm  statement  of  a  farmer  rather  than  of 
a  speculator.  Mr.  Wilcox  writes  as  .follows,  under  date  of  November 
20, 1884 


39 


"In  my  opinion  Okanogan  Prairie  cannot  be  beaten  in  this  Terri- 
tory for  beauty,  and  will  rank  with  any  for  richness  of  soil.  All  that 
is  wanted  is  the  right  kind  of  men  to  till  the  soil,  to  make  it  one  of  the 
banner  prairies  of  the  Northwest.  Since  I  have  been  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  I  have  made  it  a  special  point  to  study  the  nature  of  the  different 
soils,  and  I  will  say  that  this  section  of  country  will  compare  favorably 
with  any  I  have  seen.  You  ask  for  my  experience  with  the  soil.  I 
never  had  anything  to  do  with  any  land  that  gave  better  satisfaction 
than  this  of  the  Okanogan  Prairie.  It  is  the  easiest  land  to  put  under 
cultivation  that  I  ever  saw.  Last  April  what  *od  I  broke  was 
easily  harrowed  all  to  pieces,  and  now  this  Fall  I  have  been  plowing 
some  of  land  a  second  time  and  it  works  up  like  old  land  and  is  in  a 
complete  state  of  cultivation.  The  land  I  cultivated  this  past  Season 
was  all  sod  broken  about  six  inches  deep.  It  was  then  sowed,  thor- 
oughly cultivated  and  rolled.  I  did  my  breaking  from  the  tenth  to  the 
twenty-fifth  of  April,  and  had  I  been  here  earlier  all  my  planting 
might  have  been  done  fifteen  days  earlier  than  that.  My  potatoes  were 
fine  and  my  onions  did  remarkably  well.  In  fact  I  never  saw  such 
onions  raised  on  upland  without  manure.  Beans  are  a  sure  crop  here. 
I  raised  about  five  bushels  which  are  fine.  I  planted  beans  here  the 
tenth  of  April  and  they  were  never  touched  with  frost.  I  raised  some 
very  fine  watermelons,  and  in  fact  everything  I  planted  did  remarkably 
well.  Had  I  harvested  one-half  what  I  did  I  would  have  been  satisfied. 
We  not  only  have  a  good  top  soil  here,  but  the  sub-soil  is  good,  and 
that  is  one  of  the  most  important  essentials  to  a  productive  country. 
This  sub-soil  will  stand  either  wet  or  dry  weather,  being  of  such  a 
nature  that  it  receives  and  holds  all  the  water  that  falls  and  in  dry 
weather  sends  moisture  to  the  surface  as  needed.  It  will  take  a  severe 
drouth  to  effect  the  crops.  I  believe  that  all  kinds  of  small  grain,  such 
as  wheat,  rye,  oats,  barley  and  flax,  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables  will  do 
well  here.  My  fruit  trees  are  doing  finely  and  I  have  set  out  some 
more  this  fall.  Have  two  peach  trees  set  out  for  a  trial  of  that  fruit^ 
Have  strawberries,  currants,  raspberries,  and  blackberries  set  out  and' 
an. I  all  promise  well.  I  see  that  everybody  oat  here  are  taking  a  great 
interest  in  fruit. " 

These  statements  of  Mr.  Wileox  are  a  sample  of  the  reports  re- 
ceived during  last  Season.  Settlers  who  put  in  crops  have  received  the 
most  flattering  returns  and  a  larger  immigration  than  ever  will  pour 
into  the  Big  Bend  Country  the  coming  Season.  Most  of  the  lands  are 
outside  of  the  Railroad  limits  and  the  whole  country  is  destined  soon 
to  become  a  stolid  block  of  the  finest  farms  to  be  fonnd  in  any  country. 
The  Big  Bend  Country  alone  is  capable  of  poduciug  30,000,000  bushtls 
of  wheat  annually,  more  than  the  entire  milling  capacity  of  Minne- 
apolis could  convert  into  flour  in  one  year,  running  three  hundred 
days  at  their  full  capacity — 20,400  barrels — and  this  region  is  not  more 
than  one-third  of  the  wheat  growing  country  which  will  become  di- 
rectly tributary  to  Spokane  Falls  as  a  milling  centre.  A  handbook  of 
Minneapolis  recently  published,  alludes  to  the  fails  of  St.  Anthony  as 
"manufactor"  in  the  city's  greatness  and  states  that  "the  great  manu- 
factories which  cluster  in  e very-increasing  numbers  around  it  are  the 


corner  stones  of  the  city  and  the  secret  of  her  success."  With  such  an 
agricultural  and  timber  area  directly  tributary  to  Spokane,  who  can 
doubt  that  our  magnificent  water  power  will  prove  to  be  the  means  of 
laying  here  such  "corner  stones"  as  have  built  up  at  Minneapolis  a  city 
of  130,000  within  two  decades. 


The  Mineral  Resources. 


Not  alone  on  its  matchless  water  power,  its  extensive  agricultural 
and  stock  raising  country,  its  inexhaustible  timber  supply,  the  adapt- 
ability of  tributaiy  regions  to  fruit  growing  and  its  invigorating  salu- 
brious climate  does  Spokane  Falls  depend  for  the  full  measure  of  its 
prosperity.  One  of  the  most  important  factors  in  its  future  growth  is 
its  inexhaustible  mineral  resources.  Situated  in  the  centre  of  a  semi- 
circle of  mountains  richly  laden  with  precious  ores,  the  city  would 
have  an  equal  chance  with  Denver  for  greatness  without  a  single  other 
advantage.  Stripped  of  her  vast  mineral  resources,  she  would  stand 
an  equal  chance  for  greatness  with  Minneapolis.  With  the  advantages 
of  these  two  cities  combined,  there  scarcely  seems  room  for  a  doubt  of 
the  future,  or  a  single  reason  why  capitalists  need  be  timid  in  making 
investments  here.  Speculation  is  always  more  reckless  in  a  mining 
country  than  in  any  other,  and  where  the  mines  are  valuable,  and  may 
be  worked  permanently,  a  prosperous  mining  and  commercial  city  is 
sure  to  spring  up.  We  shall  endeavor  to  show  that  the  mines  in  the 
semi-circle  of  mountain  ranges  on  the  east  and  north  of  Spokane  are  of 
this  character  and  that  this  is  the  natural  supply  centre  for  the  entire 
region.  We  will  endeavor  to  demonstrate  this  from  the  fact  of  the 
natural  advantages  of  this  city  for  the  location  of  reduction  and  smelt- 
ing works,  its  accessibility  to  all  the  mining  sections,  its  being  the  only 
point  within  such  easy  reach  of  them  all  and  the  only  place  which 
could  possibly  be  selected  as  a  supply  and  mining  centre,  suitable  to  all 
alike.  We  will  first  call  attention  to 

THE  COEUR  D'ALENE  MINES. 

Anyanew  discovery  of  the  precious  metals  is  almost  sure  to  be 
prematurely  heralded  abroad,  and  to  create  an  undue  excitement  and 
an  unwarranted  rush  to  the  new  region.  It  was  so  with  the  Coeur 
d'Alenes.  The  discovery  of  gold  and  silver  in  these  mountains  was 
spread  abroad  throughout  all  the  land,  and  adventurers  eager  to  secure 
a  fortune  without  proper  effort,  poured  into  the  mining  region  in  vast 
armies.  They  came  without  giving  the  matter  of  the  needed  prepara- 
tion for  such  a  venture  a  moment's  consideration.  They  were  going  to 
scoop  up  a  few  large  sacks  of  gold  nuggets  and  return  to  their  homes 


41 


in  a  few  weeks  and  dazzle  the  gaze  of  their  less  energetic  neighbors 
with  the  splendor  of  their  living.  Such  was  the  dream  of  a  large 
majority  of  the  8,000  or  10,000  who  hurried  into  the  Coeur  d'Alene 
Mountains  in  mid-winter  to  become  suddenly  rich  by  mining.  They 
had  not  calculated  on  finding  the  ground  covered  to  a  depth  of  from 
five  to  twenty  feet  with  snow,  in  fact  they  had  not  calculated  on  any  of 
the  hardships  incident  to  a  mountain  mining  camp  at  that  season. 
They  were  not  practical  miners,  and,  consequently,  had  made  nothing 
of  the  preparations  necessary  for  such  an  adventure.  But  few  of  them 
were  even  prepared  for  prospecting,  so  as  to  be  able  to  intelligently 
determine  the  richness  of  the  country.  Food  and  shelter  could  be  had 
only  at  the  most  exorbitant  prices,  practical  mining  was  impossible, 
and  the  rigors  of  the  climate  soon  cooled  the  ardor  of  all  who  went  in 
with  little  money  and  no  experience,  and  the  exit  of  such  resembled 
the  rout  of  a  demoralized  army  after  a  disastrous  defeat  by  a  superior 
foe.  Their  dream  of  suddenly  acquired  wealth  had  vanished  and, 
having  determined  to  go,  they  stood  not  upon  the  order  of  their  going. 
The  flight  was  first  by  ones  and  twos,  then  in  squads  of  twenty  or 
thirty,  and  lastly  by  fifties  and  hundreds,  each  carrying  bitter  memo- 
ries of  privation,  suffering,  disappointment  and  loss,  and  each  cursing 
the  railroad,  the  newspapers  and  the  country.  These  men  returned  to 
their  homes  all  over  the  country  bearing  with  them  the  story  of  their 
experience  in  the  Coeur  d'Alenes,  of  the  barrenness  of  the  whole 
region  and  the  impossibility  of  there  being  gold  there.  To  say  any- 
thing favorable  of  these  mines,  in  the  face  of  such  an  experience,  and 
have  the  public  believe  it,  we  know  is  no  light  task.  But  not  all  who 
went  in  became  frightened  and  fled.  Some  three  or  four  hundred  of 
the  more  hardy  and  determined,  of  which  a  large  number  were  prac- 
tical miners  and  prospectors,  have  remained  through  the  season  and 
their  operations  have  fully  demonstrated  the  fact  of  the  vast  richness 
of  the  mines  in  these  mountains.  We  shall  make  use  of  no  varnished 
statements,  but  siruply  refer  to  facts,  which  are  that  in  the  mountains 
of  Northern  Idaho,  between  the  Coeur  d'Alene  Lake  and  the  summit 
of  the  Bitter  Root  and  Coeur  d'Alene  Mountains,  there  is  a  region  about 
thirty  miles  square  which  is  among  the  richest  in  placer  and  quartz 
gold  and  silver  to  be  found  in  the  United  States.  Good  prospects  have 
been  found  on  all  the  creeks  and  gulches,  and  every  claim  which  has 
been  worked  to  any  extent  has  proven  exceedingly  rich,  and  a  number 
of  nuggets  weighing  from  $75  to  §140  have  been  picked  up  by  different 
parties. 

The  €oeur  d'Alene  District  has  been  known  to  a  very  few  miners 
to  be  very  rich  for  many  years,  but  was  never  closely  prospected  until 
the  Fall  of  1880,  when  Mr.  A.  J.  Prichard  made  his  discoveries  and 
locations,  and  to  him  belongs  the  credit  of  first  bringing  the  mines 
into  notice.  Many  are  the  vague  stories  relatsd  of  prospectors  who 
penetrated  the  wild  forests  and  gloomy  gorges  of  these  mountains, 
with  a  foreshadowing  of  what  was  to  be,  but  who  were  lured  away  by 
other  excitements  or  compelled  to  return  to  replenish  their  stores, 
always  promising  to  return  to  that  particular  locality  that  had  pros- 
pected and  panned  so  richly.  Many  also  were  the  different  parties  who 


42 


tried  to  return  to  these  "old  finds"  but  were  prevented  by  a  lack  of 
supplies,  want  of  perseverance  or  a  failure  to  recognize  the  landmarks 
that  were  to  guide  them  again  into  the  field  known  to  be  so  rich  in  its 
store  of  precious  minerals.  Nearly  twenty  years  ago  one  Wilson,  who 
had  made  a  location  in  this  district,  easily  organized  a  party  by  the 
wonderful  stories  of  the  gold  he  had  found,  but  after  piloting  his  party 
to  within  a  few  miles  of  the  present  discoveries,  lost  his  bearings, 
became  bewildered  and  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  search.  His 
party  became  indignant,  suspected  him  of  treachery,  and  but  for  the 
kindly  interference  of  one  of  the  Jesuit  Fathers  at  the  Old  Roman 
Catholic  Mission,  he  would  probably  have  been  hung  at  their  hands. 
The  gold-bearing  quartz  and  fine  placer  gold  were  found  around  Coeur 
d'Alene  Lake  and  River  and  Pend  d'Oreille  Lake,  but  not  in  paying 
quantities,  and  to  find  the  source  from  whence  it  came  was  what 
bothered  piospectors.  Prichard  got  on  the  track  of  this  and  deter- 
mined to  trace  it  to  its  source  or  spend  his  life  in  the  attempt.  After 
long  and  tedious  journeys  he  was  rewarded,  late  in  the  Fall  of  1880, 
making  his  first  discovery  on  Prichard  Creek.  As  Winter  was 
approaching,  he  was  compelled  to  wait  until  the  next  season  before 
making  further  observations.  He  returned  in  1881  and  made  some 
further  prospects,  but  was  not  sufficiently  satisfied  to  spread  the  report 
of  his  find.  The  next  year  he  went  in  again  with  two  friends  and 
prospectors,  and  they  found  enough  to  satisfy  them  of  the  worth  and 
permanency  of  the  diggings.  That  Fall  the  story  of  the  discovery  of 
the  mines  began  to  spread  and  the  early  Spring  of  1883  saw  nearly  a 
hundred  men  fully  equipped  for  a  season's  prospecting  making  their 
way  into  the  mountains.  They  compelled  Prichard  to  pilot  them  in 
much  earlier  than  he  wanted  to  go,  as  the  snow  was  still  from  five  to 
ten  feet  deep,  and  the  streams  very  high.  Reaching  his  former  camp, 
they  found  the  water  so  high  that  it  was  impossible  to  reach  bed-rock, 
and  most  of  the  party  retraced  their  steps,  cursing  Prichard  and  the 
folly  of  looking  for  gold  in  such  a  place.  But  a  few  remained,  and 
when" the  waters  subsided  they  were  amply  rewarded  for  their  perse- 
verance. Soon  the  news  began  to  spread  and  the  excitement  to 
grow.  Many  came  in  from  the  surrounding  country  and  many  rich 
discoveries  were  made  and  claims  located  during  1883.  From  a  hand- 
ful of  men  in  July  the  population  increase  I  to  two  or  throe  thousand 
before  Winter.  Many  remained  during  the  entire  Winter,  and  such 
was  the  excitement  that  those  who  wanted  to  get  into  the  mines  could 
not  wait  for  Spring,  but  floundered  through  many  feet  of  snow,  endur- 
ing many  untold  hardships,  in  their  eagerness  to  be  first  in  the  mines. 
The  early  months  of  1884  saw  the  great  rush  we  have  mentioned  in  the 
first  part  of  this  chapter,  following  by  its  attending  disaster.  As  we 
have  already  stated,  several  hundred  remained  during  the  entire  season 
just  past  and  they  were  so  successful  and  sent  out  such  amounts  of 
gold  dust  every  week  during  the  Summer  and  Fall  that  public  atten- 
tion was  again  attracted  to  the  mines  and  there  were  continual  acces- 
sion to  the  numbers  during  the  latter  part  of  the  season  until  two  or 
three  thousands  were  again  found  in  the  diiferent  camps,  most  of  whom 
were  prepared  to  remain  there  during  the  entire  Winter.  These  are 


43 


made  up  almost  wholly  of  practical  miners  and  capitalists— 'a  cla«s 
badly  needed.  While  the  mines  are  rich,  they  are  not  poor  men's 
mines  !  Their  situation  is  such  that  it  takes  capital  to  open  and  work 
them.  Active  mining  operations  closed  ne  irly  two  months  ago,  and,1 
while  tho  sea.-on's  work  was  carried  on  under  great  disadvantages,  it 
was  enough  to  astonish  the  croakers  who  have  been  crying  the  mines 
down  as  a  "  humbug."  Mr.  Hussey,  the  banker  at  Murray,  estimates 
the  output  of  the  region  during  the  Summer  at  between  $300,000  and 
§400,000,  and  states  that  next  season  fully  as  much  will  be  taken  out 
each  month.  .Several  of  the  best  claims  are  now  owned  by  men  of 
large  capital,  who  will  spare  no  expense  to  open  the  mines  next  season. 
Eastern  and  European  capital  has  beon  attracted  by  the  evident  rich- 
ness of  the  camp  and  some  of  the  claims  have  been  sold  at  exorbitant 
figures.  Two  or  three  ditch  companies  have  been  formed  and  com- 
menced operations  on  ditches  which  will  cut  and  drain  the  best  regions, 
and  next  season's  work  will  be  startling  to  those  who  have  so  confi- 
dently denounced  the  mines  and  everybody  who  has  advocated  them. 
Thus  far  the  placer  claims  have  averaged  $40,000  per  acre.  Tbe  quarts 
claims  are  also  numerous  and  developing  slowly  but  surely.  Recently 
the  **  Mother  Lode"  was  bonded  to  English  and  Denver  capitalists  for 
$30,000.  The  progress  made  in  the  camp  during  the  past  season  has 
been  enormous.  Parties  who  have  had  faich  in  the  mines  have 
invested  their  money  freely  and  living  there  now  is  vastly  different  from 
one  year  ago.  Then  letters  could  only  be  obtained  by  paying  fifty 
cents  each  for -them,  while  now  there  is  a  United  States  postolfi-e  there 
regularly  supplied  by  carrier  from  the  railroad.  There  is  a  telegraph 
line  from  Spokane  Falls,  a  good  newspaper,  good  hotels,  etc.  The  best 
•way  to  reach  the  mines  is  to  come  direct  to  Spokane  Falls  and  from 
here  take  one  of  Hall  &  Martin's  covered  coaches  to  Coeur  d'Alene 
City.  This  is  the  best  natural  road  into  the  mines.  A  ride  of  two 
Lours  up  one  of  the  finest  valleys  on  the  continent  brings  the  traveler 
to  Coeur  d'Alene  City  and  the  lake  of  the  same  name.  There  one  of 
the  handsome  steamers  of  the  Coeur  d'Alene  Transportation  Company 
will  take  him  up  the  lake  to  the  Mission,  from  which  place  a  splendid 
road  was  recently  graded  into  the  heart  of  the  mining  section.  This  is 
the  only  route  into  the  mines  which  can  be  kept  open  and  traveled  at 
all  seasons  of  the  year,  and  the  only  route  over  which  freight  can  be 
hauled — all  the  others  being  used  for  pack  animals.  At  Spokane  Falls 
miners  can  procure  complete  outfits  of  everything  needed,  cheaper 
than  at  any  other  point.  A  railroad  has  been  projected  from  this  city 
into  the  mines,  the  company  organized  and  stock  subscribed,  and,  but 
for  the  recent  financial  depression,  would  now  be  under  construction. 
Ores  from  these  mines  can  be  brought  here  cheaper  than  to  any  other 
place  on  the  railroad,  reduction  and  smelting  works  could  be  built  and 
operated  here  and  Spokane  Falls  is  bound  to  be  the  lap  into  which  the 
wealth  of  the  Coeur  d'Alenes  will  be  poured. 

THE  CHEWELAH  MIXES. 

The  latest  discovery  of  precious  minerals  in  the  region  tributary  to 
Spokane  Falls  is  that  in  the  Colville  Valley,  fifty  miles  due  north  of 
this  city  near  the  town  of  Chewelah.  For  sometime  these  minerals 


44 


have  been  known  to  exist  in  that  region,  but  it  was  not  until  July  last 
that  locations  were  made  in  the  immediate  vicinity"  of  what  have  proved 
to  be  the  richest  mines  of  the  whole  section,  and  certainly  among  the 
richest  yet  discovered  on  this  Continent.  Attention  was  first  attracted 
to  the  Chewelah  District  by  the  working  of  a  mine  seven  miles  north 
of  the  Chewelah  townsite,  by  a  syndicate  of  monied  men,  among  whom 
was  Mr.  J.  N.  Squier,  of  this  city.  These  gentlemen  had  faith  in  their 
mine  and  have  spent  large  sums  of  money  in  tunneling,  sinking 
shafts,  etc.,  and,  while  the  ore  assayed  well,  they  refrained  from  pub- 
lishing anything  in  relation  thereto  until  the  mines  proved  rich  beyond 
question.  This  was  the  view  generally  taken  here,  as  a  repetition  of 
Coeur  d'Alene  craze  was  deprecated  by  ail,  as  likely  to  do  more  harm 
than  good.  In  fact,  exaggeration  has  been  carefully  avoided  in  every 
statement  published  relating  to  these  mines. 

Chewelah,  a  small  hamlet  hardly  ever  heard  of  before  spring- 
ing into  prominence  in  connection  with  the  mines  now  bearing 
that  name,  is  near  the  centre  of  the  new  mining  district.  Two 
and  one-half  miles  southwest  of  Chewelah  is  a  new  and  promising  town 
named  Embrey,  in  honor  of  the  gentleman  who  really  was  the  first  to 
thoroughly  prospect  the  country,  and  who  has  had  many  years  of  ex- 
perience at  mining  in  Idaho,  Montana,  Colorado,  California  and 
auriferous  sections  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  This  place  is  in  the  midst  of 
and  is  surrounded  by  partially  developed  mines  that  are  really  what 
has  given  the  country  the  reputation  it  has  for  possessing  rich  ores. 
These  places  are  about  fifty  miles  north  of  Spokane  Falls,  and  two 
good  wagon  roads  connect  this  city  with  that  part  of  the  country,  and 
stage  arid  freight  lines  are  now  running  out  of  the  Falls  regularly,  con- 
veying merchandise  and  passengers  to  the  new  land  of  promise.  The 
means  of  communicating  from  this  point  on  the  railroad  is  so  easy 
that  from  necessity  traveling  and  freighting  are  bound  to  be  from  this 
place.  Quite  a  mining  camp  has  already  sprung  up  at  the  new  town 
of  Embrey,  and  a  few  of  the  men  have  pushed  far  enough  into  the 
hillside  to  be  able  to  keep  at  work  all  winter,  and  the  product  of  those 
claims  so  worked  is  conclusive  proof  that  these  mines  are  sure  to  rival 
the  famous  Comstock,  that  made  Virginia  City  one  of  the  liveliest  cities 
in  the  world  a  few  years  ago.  The  ledges  in  which  the  mineral  exists 
are  quite  easily  worked  and  promise  great  results.  All  kinds  of  min- 
erals have  been  discovered  in  a  greater  or  less  quantity,  but  the  chief 
ones  are  gold,  silver,  copper  and  lead,  and  the  latter  two  will 
pay  for  working  the  ores,  leaving  the  other  metals  as  a  clear 
gain.  There  is  so  much  of  the  ore  that  even  if  it  should  run 
low  millions  of  dollars  could  be  taken  out.  Next  summer 
the  mines  will  be  the  scene  of  refreshing  life.  Claims  will  be 
opened  everywhere,  and  crushers  put  up.  Those  who  are  there 
have  unbounded  faith  in  the  country,  and  they  have  every  reason  to 
feel  satisfied  with  the  outlook,  astheassayer  with  his  scientific  research 
has  now  shown  by  test  the  ore  to  be  of  great  value.  These  assays  are 
not  made  from  picked  rock,  nor  are  they  confined  to  one  particular 
«pot.  The  reports  brought  to  us  from  the  camp  during  the  past  two 
weeks  are  of  the  most  satisfactory  nature.  From  some  30  or  40  assays 


the  ore  has  run  from  $9  to  over  £350  to  the  ton  in  silver  alone,  most  of 
the  specimens  going  above  §100.    The  test  was  only   made  for  silver, 
and  there  is  a  large  per  cent,  of  lead  and  copper  in  the  slag.    A  few 
days  ago  we  had  an  opportunity  to  look  over  the  assayer's  certificate 
given  on  the  assays  of  several  samples  of  rock  known  as  croppings, 
that  is  taken  from  near  the  surface  of  the  earth.     One  assay  taken  from 
the  Enterprise  mine,  owned  by  Thomas  Fuller,  showed  179.37  ounces 
in  silver,  wiih  no  account  taken  of  gold,  lead  and  copper.    The  Fiske 
mine  on  poor  rock  showed  16  ounces  in  silver;  but  this  is  by  no  means 
a  fair  showing  for  the  claim,  as  the  owner  sent  specimens  to   Burlin- 
game,  the  well-known  assayer  of  Denver,  who  returned  reports  show- 
ing the  rock  to  run  $172  per  ton  in  silver.    Galena  taken  from  the 
Cleveland  mine,  owned   by  A.  M.  Baldwin  <fc  Co.,  shows  up  126.13 
ounces  in  silver;  and  a  cropping  from  the  Phil  Sheridan  mine  11.66 
ounces  in  silver.    Since  those  assays  were  made  Prof.  Reilly,  an  expe- 
rienced and  practical  assayer,  has  examined  much  rock  from  various 
parts  of  the  district  for  his  own  satisfaction,  and  has  met  with  wonder- 
ful results.    Work  has  been  progressing  right  along  on  the  Silver  Gem, 
a  mine  that  opened  up  with  good  prospects.    Lately  the  mon  at   work 
cleared  ofl'  the  face  of  a  vein  nine  feet  in  thickness,  and  as  the  appear- 
ance of  the  rock  was  not   such  as  to  indicate  any  particular  value,  the 
rock  was  thrown  over   the  dump  out  of  the  way  as  fast  as  it  was  blasted 
out.     Prof.  Reilly,  the  local  assayist,    happened  to  visit  the  mine  and 
took  home  a  number  of  the  fragments    to  make  an  examination.    The 
result  so  surprised  him  tha  t  he  made  other  tests,  and  when  convinced 
that  no  mistake  had  been  made,  informed  the  careless  miners  that  they 
were    throwing  away  quartz  that  averaged  from  $75  to  §80  per  ton. 
This  ledge  is  nine  feet  thick  and  runs  the  same  value  clear  across  the 
face.    It  is  sirapty  impossible  to  estimate  the  value  of  such  a  ledge,  and 
it  is  safe  to  say  that  the  Silver  Gem  will  become  one  of  the  notable 
mines  in  the  history  of  American  mining. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  all  of  the  rock  from  which  assays 
have  been  made  has  been  taken  from  near  the  surface  and  known  as 
"croppings."  These  croppings  have  been  worked  for  several  feet 
underground,  and  tine  well  defined  ledges  found.  It  is  well  known 
that  silver-bearing  quartz  grows  richer  the  deeper  the  ledge  goes,  and  if  its 
croppings  show  such  flattering  prospects,  at  two  or  three  hundred  feet 
the  ore  must  be  immensely  rich.  The  Chewelah  District  comprises  all 
the  country  within  a  radius  of  twenty  miles  of  the  town  of  that  name. 
It  includes  the  mines  about  Embrey,  as  also  those  about  Trout  Lake, 
eight  miles  south  ;  the  belt  of  mineral  near  the  town  of  Argentum, 
seven  miles  northward  from  Chewelah,  where  is  located  the  Squier's 
mine,  and  the  valuable  and  fabulously  rich  mines,  about  eighteen 
miles  west  of  Chewelah,  owned  by  Messrs.  Friend  <fe  McKinney. 
Silver  is  the  predominating  metal  in  all  the  quartz  found  n  this 
region,  so  far  discovered.  Yet  lich  gold  fields,  in  gravel,  have  been 
worked  for  years  along  the  bed  of  the  Columbia  River,  and  even  the 
town  of  Chewelah  has  surrounding  it  some  rich  gravel  prospects. 
Only  two  miles  from  the  Indian  Agency  buildings,  located  there,  up 
Sherwood  Creek,  fifty  cents  to  the  pan  is  often  obtained. 


46 


How  is  this  new  mining  district  to  effect  Spokane  Falls,  is  now  the 
question.  It  takes  no  profound  reasoning  to  show  that  it  will  contrib- 
ute largely  to  the  growth  of  this  city.  The  mines  are  within  easy  reach 
of  Spokane  Falls,  in  fact  the  mines  are  really  only  accessible  from  the 
railroad  at  this  point.  A  large  sum  of  money  has  been  expended  on, 
the  roads  leading  from  the  Falls  to  Chewelah,  Ernbrey  and  Colville 
during  the  past  few  months,  and  there  are  few  roads  in  the  northwest 
in  better  condition.  Tri-weekly  stages  are  now  carrying  the  mail  and 
passengers  between  these  points,  and  this  service  will  be  increased  to 
daily  stages  as  soon  as  the  Winter  breaks  up.  Besides  the  stage  lines 
there  will  be  several  freighting  companies  in  operation.  This  means  of 
transportation  will  have  to  answer  for  some  time,  as  the  projected  rail- 
road to  be  built  to  the  Columbia  River  can  not  be  constructed  for  a 
year  or  two.  Not  only  will  our  city  be  greatly  benefited  by  holding 
the  key  to  the  position,  so  to  speak,  from  whence  all  supplies  are 
bound  to  be  drawn,  but  it  will  bear  another  and  closer  relation,  not 
only  to  the  Chewelah,  but  all  other  quartz  mines  in  the  Northwest. 
Reduction  works,  smelters  and  refineries  are  necessary  adjuncts  to 
successful  mining  regions,  It  will  not  pay  to  take  out  ores  and  ship 
them  to  some  distant  point  to  be  reduced  to  bullion,  and  as  the  demand 
grows  such  industries  must  spring  up.  Here  is  where  these  works  are 
certain  to  be  located.  It  would  be  folly  to  construct  them  elsewhere. 
The  cheapest  and  very  best  of  power  exists  in  this  city,  and  the  ease 
with  which  quartz  can  be  conveyed  to  mills  here  favors  such  projects. 
As  soon  as  men  of  capital  are  convinced  that  the  mines  will  justify 
such  an  investment  these  refineries  will  spring  into  existence.  We  feel 
satisfied  that  a  few  years  hence,  among  its  many  other  manufacturing 
industries,  that  of  reducing  crude  ores  to  shining  bricks  of  precious 
metals  will  be  pre-eminently  the  leading  interest. 

THE  PEND  D'OREILLE  MINES. 

One  hundred  miles  from  Sind  Point,  a  station  on  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad,  and  on  the  Pend  d'Oreille  Lake,  and  about  n  nety 
miles  north  of  Spokane  Falls,  is  the  town-site  of  Pend  d'Oreilie  City, 
lying  in  the  centre  of  the  new  mining  district  of  that  name.  Within  a 
few  miles  of  this  town-site  the  Hudson  Eay  Tracing  Com]  any  had  a 
post  some  thirty-eight  years  ago.  Fur  bearing  animals  were  plentiful, 
and  considerable  business  was  done  in  this  vicinity  by  that  company  at 
this  early  date.  A  few  years  later  gold  was  discovered  at  the  mouths 
of  the  numerous  streams  tributary  to  the  Pend  d'Oreille  River,  and 
quite  a  rush  was  made  into  the  country  then,  from  the  Colville  Valley, 
and  the  old  trail  cut  through  the  dense  undergrowth,  up  and  down  the 
rugged  canyons,  and  over  the  high  mountain  peaks  from  that  valley  to 
the  gold  fields  has  again  become  of  importance,  and  the  fallen  timber 
and  brush,  accumulated  through  the  past  quarter  of  a  century,  are 
once  more  being  removed  to  make  room  for  the  pack  trains  and  saddle 
horses  that  will  undoubtedly  pass  over  it  in  the  coming  Spring  and 
Summer. 

Thousands  of  dollars  in  dust  were  taken  out  in  pockets  during  the 
first  few  years  of  the  rush,  but  the  country  being  large,  very  little 


47 


prospecting  having  been  done  in  the  surrounding  country,  and  the  cost 
of  living  being  very  high,  prospects,  which  are  now  considered  fair, 
were  left  for  new  fields  where  it  was  presumed  more  gold  could  be 
obtained  with  less  labor.  "  Old-timers"  still  lingering  around  the  Col- 
ville  Valley,  tt-11  tales  (probably  much  colored  by  the  elapse  of  time)  of 
the  \vondei ful  pockets  that  were  "worked  out"  in  this  region  long 
before  the  tide  of  immigration  turned  to  the  Northwest,  and  wish,  with 
a  sigh,  for  the  good  old  times  again. 

After  having  been  deserted  for  a  period  of  about  twenty  years, 
these  same  diggings  are  again  attracting  attention,  and  their  wealth, 
like  that  of  Gold  Hill,  Nevada,  bids  fair  to  be  far  outdone  by  the  quartz 
ledges  which  crop  out  in  nearly  every  canyon  in  the  district.  There 
are  placers  here  which  will  probably  prove  good  paying  properties,  but 
long  after  hydraulicing  has  ceased  on  the  numerous  creeks  and  moun- 
tain slie*:ns,  the  galena  and  carbonate  ledges  (unless  all  the  old  pros- 
pectors now  in  camp  have  been  much  led  astray)  \vill  be  turning  out 
lead  and  silver  in  quantities  to  compare  with  the  yield  of  the  Coin- 
stock. 

The  work  that  has  been  thus  far  done  has  been  carried  on  quietly, 
very  little  having  been  said  about  the  camp  through  the  newspapers, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  work  is  progressing  on  three  quartz 
ledges  in  the  dead  of  Winter,  and  that  two  placer  claims  were 
profitably  worked  during  the  past  season  and  that  several  more  will  be 
opened  during  the  next  Spring  and  Summer. 

The  carbonate  and  galena  ores  are  of  a  low  grade,  but  exist  in  such 
large  quantities  that  if  but  a  small  profit  to  the  ton  can  be  gained  in 
working  them,  the  future  prosperity  of  the  district  is  assured,  and  from 
all  assays  so  far  received  it  is  confidentially  believed  that  the  ores  war- 
rant the  statement  that  this  result  will  most  assuredly  be  brought  about. 
The  district  has,  as  yet,  been  very  little  prospected  for  quartz  ledges, 
and  it,  is  anticipated  that  during  the  coming  season  discoveries  even 
more  important  than  those  already  recorded  will  be  made. 

The  two  most  accessible  routes  into  this  district  at  present  are : 
From  Spokane  Falls,  via  Colville,  W.  T.,  over  the  old  trail  mentioned 
above,  or  from  Sand  Point,  down  the  Pend  d'Oreille  River  with  boats. 
The  former  mate,  over  th3  trail,  will  not  be  traversable  before  the 
middle  of  March,  on  account  of  the  heavy  fall  of  snow  on  the  mountain 
ranges,  and  the  latter  route  down  the  river,  will  probably  remain 
closed  until  about  the  same  date,  the  river  being  covered  with  ice  nearly 
the  entire  distance  from  the  railroad  into  camp.  Parties  going  down 
the  river  should  secure  the  company  of  someone  familiar  with  the  trip, 
as  there  are  several  rapids  and  falls  to  be  avoided,  the  running  of  which 
might  prove  fatal  to  parties  not  conversant  with  their  whereabouts. 

There  will  probably  be  a  large  number  of  prospectors  visit  this 
region  this  coming  Season,  but  it  is  hoped  by  all  parties  in  camp  that 
they  will  postpone  their  trip  until  the  Snow  has  fairly  left  the  moun- 
tains in  order  that  new  parties  corning  in  may  take  with  them  plenty  of 
provisions  for  their  own  use,  as  at  present  there  is  only  enough  in  camp 
to  carry  those  already  there  through  the  Winter.  There  are  now 
several  parties  camped  along  the  river,  between  Sand  Point  and  Pend 


48 


d'Oreille  City,  awaiting  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  on  the  river,  haying 
been  caught  in  the  ice  while  endeavoring  to  reach  the  camp  this 
Winter. 

Pend  d'Oreille  City  presents  a  picturesque  appearance  at  the  pres- 
ent writing,  everything  out  of  doors  being  mantled  in  its  Winter  attire. 
Several  cabins  are  progressing  as  fast  as  the  cold  weather  will  permit 
and  ere  Spring  rolls  around  quite  a  respectable  little  town  will  have 
grown  up.  Four  blocks  of  the  townsite  have  been  surveyed,  nearly 
all  of  the  lots  are  being  occupied  or  claimed  by  parties  who  intend  to 
build  as  soon  as  possible.  The  camp  is  at  present  quiet,  prospecting, 
having  stopped  for  the  Winter,  and  the  inhabitants  (about  fifty  in  num- 
ber) are  patiently  awaiting  the  disappearance  of  the  snow,  when  work 
will  be  resumed  again.  The  more  recent  development  of  this  district 
is  just  now  in  its  infancy  but  its  vastness  of  extent  and  the  richness  of 
its  deposits  make  it  an  important  factor  in  the  future  of  Spokane,  This 
is  the  nearest  and  most  accessible  point  on  the  railroad  and  is  sure  to 
be  the  supply  centre  for  this  region.  A  railroad  from  here  to  Kettle 
Falls  will  give  rail  and  steamboat  communication  with  the  Pend 
d'Oreille  mines  at  all  Seasons,  and  this  will  doubtless  be  secured  in  time 
to  aid  materially  in  their  development. 

THE  SIMILKAMEEN  DISTRICT. 

Prof.  J.  M.  Tiernan,  of  this  city,  has  made  explorations  of  the 
northwestern  portions  of  our  Territory  and  the  adjacent  portions  of 
British  America,  and  has  published  reports  of  the  wonderful  mineral 
richness  of  those  regions.  Prof.  Tiernan 's  reports  excited  no  particular 
interest  at  the  time  of  their  publication,  owing  principally  to  the  Coeur 
d'Alene  excitement,  but  later  developments  made  by  experienced 
prospectors  have  more  than  verified  the  Professor's  statements. 
Prominent  among  the  sections  which  showed  the  richest  prospects  and 
which  will,  in  a  few  years,  attract  a  large  share  of  public  attention, 
theSimilkameen  and  Mount  Chopaca  Districts,  being  a  portion  of  the 
fifteen-mile  strip  of  land,  reserved  by  the  Government  for  mineral 
purposes,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Moses  Indian  Reservation  and  con- 
tiguous to  British  Columbia,  and  which  extends  for  two  hundred  miles 
east  and  west.  That  this  district  is  very  rich  in  its  store  of  precious 
metals,  there  is  no  doubt  and  the  wonder  is  that  it  has  remained  so 
long  practically  unoccupied.  History  states  that  mining  was  carried 
on  there  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  and  the  Indians  twenty-five  and 
thirty  years  ago,  and  traces  of  their  operations  may  yet  be  seen  in 
places.  Since  that  time  it  has  almost  been  forgotten,  but  stories  of  its 
wealth  were  handed  down,  as  a  tradition,  from  one  to  another  until 
within  the  past  few  years,  when  a  few  adventurous  prospectors  found 
their  way  there  and  the  result  of  their  search  more  than  confirmed  the 
previous  stories.  In  April  last  a  party  of  five  gentlemen,  experienced 
prospectors,  was  made  up  in  Spokane  Falls  for  the  express  purpose  of 
making  thorough  prospects  in  this  region.  They  traveled  northwest 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Okinakane  River,  passing  up  that  and  theSimilka- 
meen Valley.  They  prospected  principally  along  the  Ellimaheen 
range  of  mountains.  These  mountains  are  from  two  thousand  to  three 


49 


thousand  feet  high,  are  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  timber  and 
abound  in  .springs  and  water  courses.  The  Similkamaen  River  flows 
at  their  base,  and  Nature  has  nuul>  every  provision  for  the  erection  of 
mills  of  all  kinds,  the  cutting  of  lumber  for  building  purposes,  and 
working  the  mines.  Over  forty  different  ledges  were  discovered  and 
located  by  this  party  and  they  returned  with  some  of  the  finest  speci- 
mens ever  brought' to  this  city.  Their  richest  discovery  was  made 
near  the  top  of  Mount  Ellimaheen,  and  \\hich  they  named  the  Tyee 
mine.  The  ledge  is  over  two  feet  thick  and  is  easily  traced  for  over 
fifteen  hundred  feet.  The  ore  is  among  the  richest  found  in  the 
Territory,  showing  an  as.»ay  as  high  as  §400,  silver,  to  the  ton,  with 
traces  of  free  gold.  The  Reformer  or  Mother  Lode,  they  so  named  on 
account  of  its  vastness  rather  than  its  richness  It  runs  from  thirty  to 
forty  feet  in  thickness,  can  be  traced  for  a  long  distance  and  is  said  to 
carry  gold  and  sii\  er  in  the  proportion  of  about  §50  in  gold  and  $200 
in  silver  to  the  ton.  A  few  men  of  wealth  have  already  found  their 
way  there  and  discoveries  of  equal  richness  have  been  made  on  lands 
yet  included  in  the  Moses  Reservation.  They  are  waiting  for  the 
Government  to  renove  the  Indians  so  as  to  allow  the  mines  to  be 
worked — which  will  no  doubt  soon  be  done.  Three  mines,  called  the 
Eagle,  Cabaar  and  Enterprise,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Similkameen 
River,  are  being  worked.  Two-fifths  of  the  Enterprise  mine  \vas  sold 
to  Walla  Walla  parties  for  812,500,  and  each  of  them  are  considered 
very  valuable,  but  the  ore  in  them  does  not  run  so  high  as  that  in  the 
higher  altitude  on  the  south  side  of  the  Similkameen  River.  There  can 
be  no  doubt  that  the  opening  of  this  district  will  be  of  the  utmost 
importan.-e  to  Spokane  Falls,  as  this  is  the  only  place  which  can  possi- 
bly become  its  base  of  supplies.  From  this  city  there  is  a  level  grade 
and  a  good  wagon  road  directly  to  the  Similkameen  region  and  the 
building  of  a  railroad  from  Spokane  to  Kettle  Falls,  on  the  Columbia, 
will  bring  the  mines  to  our  very  door.  The  Cascade  Range  shuts  the 
mines  off  from  the  west  and  this  is  their  natural  and  only  outlet. 

THE  KETTLE  FALLS  DISTRICT. 

In  addition  to  the  Chewelah,  Pend  d'Oreille  and  Similkameen  Dis- 
tricts, to  which  we  have  alluded,  all  of  which  are  located  in  Stevens 
County,  that  county  has  just  developed  a  fourth  mining  region  which 
has  been  named  the  Kettle  Falls  District.  This  is  situated  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Columbia  River  and  west  of  the  Peiid  d'Oreiiie  District. 
This  is  among  the  very  latest  discovered  and  shows  immense  deposits 
of  the  finest  sand  and  crystalized  carbonate  ores,  similar  in  character 
to  the  LeadvLle  and  Eureka  ores.  In  addition  to  these,  a  number  of 
large  veins  of  coal  have  been  discovered  in  that  region,  which  experts 
declare  will  coke  as  readily  as  the  noted  Westhartley  coal.  These  coal 
veins  have  been  traced  for  a  mile  or  more  in  length,  showing  a  width 
of  from  five  to  twenty  feet,  and  the  fields  are  thought  to  be  very  exten- 
sive. This  will  prove  of  incalculable  yalue  and  add  immensely  to  the 
richness  of  the  region  and  to  our  city,  which  stands  at  the  gateway  of 
the  very  best  outlet  to  that  entire  county.  The  old  mines  in  the  Kettle 
Falls  District  are  not  being  vigorously  worked  at  present,  although 


50 


some  fabulously  rich  samples  of  ore  have  been  brought  from  them. 
Ricli  gold  fields,  in  gravel,  have  been  successfully  worked  along  the 
Columbia  River  for  years.  What  promises  to  be  one  of  the  most 
important  of  these  is  the  hydraulic  diggings,  which  will  be  opened  up 
fully  this  season,  owned  by  Judge  Still,  of  this  county,  and  nine  other 
gentlemen.  This  claim  is  located  at  the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek,  six  miles 
above  the  famous  Oppenheimer  claim.  It  has  a  vast  extent  of  three  or 
four  thousand  acres,  is  located  so  that  the  whole  surface  can  be  easily 
washed  and  is  known  to  be  immensely  rich.  Its  owners  have  jus-t 
refused  an  otter  of  §100,000  for  their  claim. 

Hydraulic  mining  along  this  portion  of  the  Columbia  River  has 
been  done  at  different  places  for  many  yeaus,  some  of  the  most  exten- 
sive of  these  operations  being  carried  on  by  Chinamen.  Lieutenant 
Symons  alludes  to  their  work  as  follows  :  "  There  are  quite  a  number 
of  Chinamen  engaged  in  mining  on  the  river  bars.  Many  bars  have 
been  worked  and  abandoned,  and  others  have  not  been  worked,  owing 
to  the  difficulty  of  getting  water  to  them.  In  some  instances  the  Chi- 
nameii  have  put  in  flumes  several  miles  in  length  and  constructed 
quite  extensive  works  to  obtain  the  precious  metal  from  the  gravel  and 
sand.  In  the  construction  of  these  works  they  often  display  much 
ingenuity  and  knowledge  of  hydraulics.  In  one  place,  just  below  the 
Spokane  River,  they  have  taken  the  water  from  Hawk  Creek  and  con- 
ducted it  about  three  miles  in  ditches  and  wooden  flumes  made  of 
whip-sawed  lumber,  and  have  taken  it  to  a  large  bar-island  in  the 
river,  crossing  the  intervening  channel  by  means  of  an  inverted 
syphon,  also  made  of  whip-sawed  lumber."  The  mineral  regions  spe- 
cifically alluded  to  are,  by  no  means  the  only  ones  tributary  to  this 
city.  Others,  notably  those  around  Lake  Pend  d'Oreille  and  the  Metlow 
District,  have  been  partially  prospected  and  are  known  to  contain 
valuable  deposits,  and  still  others  are  being  discovered.  Those 
described  are  sufficient  to  prove  the  bright  future  before  our  city.  The 
Seattle  Chronicle,  published  in  a  city  which  feels  under  no  obligations 
to  Spokane  Falls,  a  few  days  ago  made  this  candid  statement  :  "Spo- 
kane Falls  is  expecting  to  reap  a  rich  harvest  from  the  different  mining 
camps  next  season.  It  seems  to  be  situated  in  a  semi-circle  of  vvliai 
promises  to  be  a  very  rich  mineral  country.  The  Coeur  d'Alene  on 
the  east  and  southeast,  the  Kootenai  and  Upper  Columbia  on  the  north 
and  the  new  discoveries  on  the  west  and  northwest.  The  latter  prom- 
ises to  be  very  rich  and  extensive." 

A  MICA  MOUNTAIN. 

Another  valuable  auxiliary  to  Spokane  Falls'  growth  is  a  mica 
peak,  which  is  being  rapidly  opened  and  developed,  and  which  is  con- 
sidered a  perfect  bonanza  to  its  lucky  owners.  The  Spokane  Falls 
Evening  Review  recently  called  attention  to  it  in  an  article  from  which 
we  make  the  following  extract :  "  Few  of  our  readers  may  be  aware  of 
the  existence,  in  sight  of  this  city,  of  one  of  the  most  promising  mica 
mines  in  the  country,  but  it  is  there  all  the  same  and  is  being  worked 
by  a  syndicate  of  Denver  capitalists.  Mica  is  a  valuable  mineral  tha 
can  be  found,  in  paying  quantities,  only  in  a  few  portions  of  America. 


51 


Heretofore  the  chief  supply  of  mica  has  been  drawn  from  North  Caro- 
lina, but  the  indications  now  are  that  Eastern  Washington  and  North- 
ern Idaho  will  wrest  much  of  the  trade  in  that  material  from  the 
Southern  State.  Little  has  been  known  and  less  said  in  regard  to  this 
mine,  and  in  fact  no  large  shipments  have  been  made  from  the  claim, 
ar.hounh  much  valuable  mica  lias  been  taken  out  during  the  oast  few 
months.  By  some  means,  ten  residents  of  Denver  got  hold  of  the  mine 
and  incorporated  a  company  under  the  name  of  The  Mica  Peak  Mining 
Company,  of  which  J.  D.  Coplen  is  President,  and  E.  Moses,  Secretary. 
We  met  Mr.  Coplen  to-day  while  he  was  in  the  city  on  business,  and 
he  gives  a  very  favorable  report  of  the  project.  Mica  Peak  is  a  high 
i'l  -vailon  in  the  chain  of  mountains  southeast  of  this  city  and  is  some 
twenty-five  miles  distant.  The  mountain  is  plainly  to  be  seen  from 
this  plai-e.  Considerable  work  has  been  done  on  the  mine  and  a  force 
will  be  kept  constantly  in  operation.  The  company  has  an  order  on 
hand  for  5000  pounds  from  Denver,  and  when  it  is  rilled  the  stuff  will 
be  shipped  through  to  New  York.  Spokane  Falls  will  be  the  shipping 
point  for  this  mine.  The  mica  taken  out  is  in  large  sheets,  that  is  large 
sheets  for  that  kind  of  mineral,  and  has  been  pronounced  as  good  as 
the  best  in  the  market.  There  is  a  ready  sale  for  all  that  can  be  mined, 
and  as  it  brings  between  §11  and  S12  per  pound  it  will  be  readily  seen 
that  the  mine  is  an  exceedingly  valuable  one.  This  is  but  another  of 
the  many  industries  that  will  go  to  aid  in  building  up  this  city  during 
the  next  few  years.  If  the  mine  proves  to  be  more  extensive  than  it  is 
at  present  known,  it  will  give  employment  for  a  large  force  for  all  time 
to  come,  and  will  be  the  source  of  a  large  income  to  those  who  hold 
stock  in  the  company." 


COAL  FIELDS, 

The  vastness  of  the  timber  regions  of  the  Territory  and  the  meagre 
demand  for  coal,  has  tended  to  retard  the  development  of  the  coal 
fields  within  our  borders,  but  this  fuel  is  known  to  exist  in  very  large 
quantities  and  of  the  very  finest  quality.  With  the  building  of  mills 
and  manufactories  here  will  eo.ne  a  demand  for  coal,  and  the  fact  that 
it  can  be  had  within  easy  reach  of  Spokane  Falls  will  encourage  such 
investments  here.  We  have  already  alluded  to  the  rich  and  vast 
deposits  of  this  fuel  one  hundred  miles  north,  in  our  article  on  the 
Falls  Min  ng  District,  and  this  will  be  brought  to  our  very  doors 
within  a  year,  by  the  construction  of  a  railroad.  The  Governor  of  the 
Territory,  in  a  recent  address,  publicly  stated  that  "  all  of  Western 
Washington  was  one  vast  coal  basin."  Within  a  few  months  our  city 
will  lx>  directly  connected  with  that  region  by  the  completion  of  the 
Cascade  Branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.  Another  very  large 
coal  region  is  found  in  the  Yukima  Valley,  between  Yakima  City  and 
Ellensburg.  These  mines  can  be  very  easily  worked  and  the  quality 
of  the  coal  is  found  to  exceed  that  in  the  Western  part  of  the  Territory, 
near  Seattle,  and  which  is  particularly  noted  for  its  heat-producing 
qualities.  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  is  now  completed  and  in 


52 


operation  to  these  Yakima  coal  fields,   putting  them  but  a  few  hours 
from  Spokane  Falls. 

A  PLUMBAGO  MINE. 

The  Ellensburg  Localizer  says  :  "  Every  week  develops  some  new 
discoveries  in  the  mineral  district  northwest  of  this  place,  in  the  exten- 
sive mineral  belt  about  the  headwaters  of  the  Cle-el-um  and  other 
tributaries  of  the  Yakima  River.  This  time  we  have  to  record  the  dis- 
covery of  a  valuable  silver  lode  on  the  Catches,  just  above  the 
Cle-el-um.  We  have  a  specimen  of  the  ore  that  we  think  is  very  rich, 
and  i-,  perhaps,  the  very  best  that  has  been  brought  to  public  notice. 
The  discoverers  are  John  Davis,  David  Wheaton,  L.  Cassady,  John  E. 
Voice  and  Lerov  Gilham.  They  went  five  or  six  days  to  Catches  Lake, 
and  in  their  prospecting  they  discovered  what  was  thought  to  be  silver 
It  is  found,  however,  to  be  a  genuine  mine  of  plumbago,  with  a  small 
per  cent  of  silver.  The  plumbago  in  places  is  soft  and  can  be  spaded 
out  like  peat.  It  is  perfectly  pure,  and  some  of  it  resembles  horn- 
blende, is  in  flakes,  and  will  mark  like  a  lead  pencil  on  paper.  It  is 
difficult  to  tell  what  it  is  worth  on  this  coast— perhaps  several  hundred 
dollars  a  ton.  A  man  could  get  out  several  tons  a  day."  These  mines 
are  situated  only  one  hundred  arid  fifty  miles  from  Spokane  Falls,  and 
are  directly  connected  with  us  by  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  now 
completed  and  in  operation. 


Manufacturing  and   Business. 


The  present  industries  of  Spokane  Falls  are  two  flouring  mills, 
three  planing  mills,  two  sash,  door  and  blind  factories,  one  excelsior 
packing  and  mattress  factory,  one  machine  shop,  two  carriage  manu- 
factories, two  banks  with  a  capital  of  $300,000,  one  fence  manufactory, 
one  cigar  factory,  one  saw  mill,  three  breweries,  sixteen  saloons,  one 
hide  and  fur  depot,  three  wholesale  liquor  dealers,  nine  grocers,  four 
drug  stores,  nine  general  merchandise  stores,  two  boot  and  shoe  stores, 
two  furniture  houses,  four  hardware  stores,  four  wholesale  dry  goods 
houses,  three  lumber  dealers,  three  commission  merchants,  three 
harness  factories,  seven  real  estate  dealers,  two  ice  dealers,  two  agricul- 
tural implement  houses,  one  grain  dealer,  one  soda  water  factory,  four 
jewelers,  one  broker,  four  money  loaners,  four  millinery  stores,  three 
fruit  and  confectionery  stores,  two  book  stores,  four  tailors,  eight 
contractors  and  builders,  three  buther  shops,  two  skating  rinks,  three 
second  hand  stores,  three  bakeries,  rive  hotels,  four  restaurants,  several 
boarding  houses,  four  livery  and  feed  stables,  one  live  stock  dealer 
and  a  number  of  small  retail  dealers  in  various  branches  of  trade.  The 
city  has  six  practicing  physicians,  twenty-three  attorneys,  one 


53 


abstractor,  four  surveyors,  four  insurance  agents,  three  dentists,  two- 
photographers,  rive  barber  shops,  two  weekly  newspapers  and  one 
daily. 

The  business  of  the  town  has  increased  marvelou.sly.  Four  years 
ago  the  amount  of  trade  here  did  not  exceed  §100,000  per  year.  The 
past  year  it  is  estimated  to  have  amounted  to  nearly  §3,500,000.  Thia 
vast  increase  is  due  largely  to  this  being  made  a  wholesale  distributing 
point,  and  the  business  could  have  been  much  more  largely  increased, 
had  there  been  sufficient  capital  here. 

Among  the  enterprises  which  are  demanded  here  and  which  could 
not  fail  to  succeed  we  may  name  flour  mills,  saw  mills,  woolen 
mills,  flailing  mills,  sash,  door  and  blind  factories,  tub  and 
bucket  factories,  starch  factories,  beet  su^ar  factories,  furniture  fac- 
tories, alcohol  works,  breweries,  paper  mills,  vinegar  factory,  tannery* 
barrel  factory,  wagon  and  carriage  manufactories,  machine  shops,  gold 
and  silver  reduction  works  and  smelters,  shot  tower,  iron  and  steel 
works,  car  works,  linseed  oil  works,  boot  and  shoe  manufactory, 
agricultural  machinery  works,  foundry,  pork  and  beef  packing  houses, 
fruit  canning  establishment,  cracker  factory,  and  many  others  too 
numerous  to  mention.  All  those  enumerated  would  find  plenty  of  raw 
niater.ul  produced  in  this  country,  and  would  have  all  the  country 
within  a  radius  of  several  hundred  miles  in  which  to  find  a  inarke 
without  competition. 


Grain,  Fruits  and  Vegetables. 


Wheat  is  the  staple  agricultural  product  of  the  entire  country.  Its 
superior  quality  has  made  it  famous  in  the  grain  markets  of  the  World 
and  always  insures  for  it  the  highest  market  price.  The  berry  is 
heavy  and  full  and  often  exceeds,  by  from  five  to  nine  pounds,  thQ 
standard  \\eiglit  of  a  bushel.  The  average  yield  is  from  twenty  to  forty 
bushels  per  acre,  and  it  makes  the  very  finest  of  flour. 

Oats  yield  heavily  and,  like  wheat,  usual}  o  errun  the  standard 
weight,  by  from  four  to  nine  pounds  to  the  bushel.  The  average 
yield  is  probably  about  thirty-five  bushels  per  acre.  In  the  the  richer 
soils  and  more  favored  localities  the  yield  is  much  greater.  Barley  has 
been  and  can  be  grown  here  with  eminent  success.  Samples  gathered  of 
the  fanners  in  this  region  have  been  pronounced  in  quality  superior  to 
that  grown  in  other  localities  by  experts  in  San  Francisco  and  Eastern 
cities  and  frequent  shipments  are  made  all  the  way  to  Chicago, 
Milwaukee,  St.  Louis  and  Cincinnati,  in  which  markets  it  has  made  a 
reputation  for  superiority.  We  are  not  prepared  to  give  an  accurate 
estimate  of  the  average  yield,  but  some  farmers  cLurjt^JUjtJ^ave  raised 


54 


fifty  bushels  per  acre.  It  has  excellent  properties  for  brewing 
purposes,  makes  the  very  best  feed  for  hog.s,  and  by  many  is  thought 
to  be  superior  to  oats  for  horses. 

Rye  and  corn  are  largely  raised  in  this  section,  but  do  not  succeed 
BO  well  as  in  the  more  southern  parts  of  Oregon.  Corn  is  said  to  aver- 
•  age  here  about  forty  bushels  and  rye  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  per 
acre.  Of  recent  flax  has  been  raised  for  export,  and  its  culture  is  a 
permanent  industry.  It  is  not  unusual  to  obtain  from  400 to 800 pounds 
'of  clean  fibre  per  acre.  The  seed  nets  one  dollar  per  bushel.  Linen 
making  could  be  successfully  engaged  in,  as  there  is  convenient  water 
power  in  Spokane  for  driving-  any  number  of  looms  and  mill-*.  The 
culture  of  hops  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  profitable  industries 
in  Western  Washington  and  the  Yakima  Valley,  and  it  is  claimed  they 
can  be  grown  with  equal  success  in  this  section.  The}'  are  grown  on 
the  river  bottom  lands,  and,  with  proper  cultivation,  a  large  yield  of 
superior  quality  is  obtained.  The  crop  runs  from  1,500  to  3,000  pounds 
per  acre.  The  crop  sells  readity  at  prices  ranging  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  cents  per  pound,  and  the  export  demand  is  steady.  In  1SS2, 
owing  to  a  strong  speculative  demand,  the  price  reached  one  doll  ir 
per  pound.  The  advantages  connected  with  the  hop  industry  are  a 
suitable  soil,  the  certainty  of  a  good  crop,  early  bearing  of  the  vines, 
extraordinary  yield,  low  cost  of  production,  facilities  for  securing 
poles,  fuel  for  drying,  and  cheap  labor  for  picking. 

Fruits  of  delicious  aroma  and  flavor,  and  of  remarkable  size  and 
beauty,  can  lie  laised  in  great  abundance.  Apples  grow  to  perfection. 
The  tree  is  indigenous  to  the  soil,  the  fruit  is  large,  highly  colored  and 
of  delicious  taste.  The  trees  are  stout,  hardy  and  prolific. 

Prunes  thrive  as  well  as  in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  The  trees 
are  henlthy  and  vigorous  and  bear  early.  The  fruit  is  rich,  mellow, 
large,  and  has  a  delicate  aromatic;  taste. 

Plums  are  prolific,  magnificent  in  size  and  color,  and  are  sweet 
and  of  fine  flavor.  There  are  many  varieties,  and  the  trees  are  hardy 
and  reliable  bearers. 

Pears  of  nil  the  best  known  varieties,  early  and  late,  of  large  size 
and  excellent  flavor,  aie  produced  in  profusion.  The  trees  are  hardy, 
bearing  at  a  remarkably  early  age.  Some  specimens  attain  a  weight  o 
three  pounds  and  upward. 

Cherries,  unexcelled  anywhere,  grow  in  unlimited  abundance. 
The  trees  are  hardy  and  heavy  bearers,  and  the  fruit  is  superior  in  size 
and  beauty. 

Peaches  have  been  cultivated  satisfactorily  along  the  Columbia 
River  and  in  the  Walla  Walla  Valley,  as  \vell  as  at  many  other  points 
east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains.  Sufficient  experiments  have  not  been 
made  here  yet  to  enabla  us  to  speak  positively  as  to  whether  they  can 
be  grown  successfully  in  this  altitude.  Mr.  J.  J.  .Stage,  an  experienced 
horticulturist,  who  has  a  farm  and  nursery  adjoining  the  townsite, 
says:  "I  have  peaches  and  apricots  that  have  grown  well  and  stood 
.the  last  two  Winters,  but  have  raised  no  fruit  yet." 

Strawberries,  raspberries,   blackberrias,  gooseberries  and  currants, 


00 


delicious-  in  flavor,  large  in  size,   and  perfect  in  all  respects,  are  easily 
raised  and  are  quite  abundant. 

Mi  -[mates  the  number  of  apple  trees  in  Spokane  County 

"00,   plum    trees    5,500,   prunes    4,400,  peaches  5,000  and  grape- 
vine- 

Vegetables  of  every  variety  and  of  the  finest  quality  are  pro  1  need. 
Potatoes,  <-abbat:es.  on  o:;s,  turnips,  squashes,  be -:s,  carrots,  parsn  ps? 
cucumbers  and  celery  grow  to  large  size.  All  the  vegetables  named 
thrive  equally  well  and  give  abundant  crops  in  both  sections  of  the 
country,  not\\  irhstand'ng  the  climatic  distinctions  which  exist  east  and 
-  -ade  Mountains.  Melons,  tomatoes  and  some  of  the 
frn it 8,  however,  flourish  better  in  the  warmer  and  drier  atmo-phere 
east  of  the  mountains.  Rev.  Neal  Cheetham,  \vlio  lives  neir  Waits- 
burg,  sold  stjQO  worth  of  melons  raised  on  less  than  one  acre. 

Of  liis  experience  with  vegetables,  Mr.  Stage  says;  '•  Ye-re'ables 
of  all  kinds  do  excellently;  in  fact,  I  have  never,  in  all  my  experience 
of  eight  years,  arrow n  better  onions,  cabbages,  potatoes,  beets,  carrots, 
beans,  turnips,  etc..  than  I  have  here  this  year.  I  raised  11,690  pounds 
of  onions,  on  one-fourth  of  an  acre." 

The  average  yield  of  wheat  per  acre  may  safely  be  stated  at  22 
bushels  ;  of  oats  and  barlov,  3~> :  corn,  40  ;  rye,  21 ;  peas,  40  ;  beans,  36 ; 
potatoes,  .",00;  sweet  potatoes,  150;  turnips,  600;  carrots,  500;  parsnips,- 
500.  Cabbages  produce  from  1,500  to  2,000  pounds,  and  hay  from  two 
and  a  half  to  three  tons  per  acre. 


Growth. 


The  population  of  the  entire  Territory  has  increased  at  a  very  rapid: 
rate.  By  the  Government  Census,  in  1*70  it  was  23.955.  In  1SSO  it  had 
grown  to  75,116— an  increase  of  213  per  cent,  in  ten  years.  In  1884  the 
population  exceeded  150,000— an  increase  of  over  1000  per  cent,  in  four 
years.  Spokane  Falls  has  had  a  much  more  rapid  increase  than  that. 
By  an  official  census  taken  less  than  two  years  ago  thv  j  opulation  of 
the  city  was  about  1,600.  In  October  last  the  permanent  population 
was  estimated  by  careful  observers  to  be  at  least  3,500  and  cannot  now 
be  much  less  than  4,000,  showing  that  the  city  Avill  nearly  treble  its 
size  in  two  years,  and  that  at  a  time  of  the  greatest  depression  known 
in  this  country.  In  IS*2  the  vote  of  Spokane  Falls  was  336.  At  the 
election  two  years  later  it  was  1010.  The  number  of  its  bu- 
houses  and  the  amount  of  business  transacted  here  has  increased  in  a 
still  greater  proportion,  as  a  large  wholesale  trade  with  the  smaller 
towns  is  now  carried  on  by  our  business  men.  This  is  a  very  remark- 
able showing,  when  we  remember  that  it  was  only  November  29,  1881, 
when  the  Governor  signed  the  bill  incorporating  this  as  a  city.  Another 


56 


remarkable  feature  of  the  city's  growth  is  the  fact  that  it  has  been 
almost  wholly  from  within  and  not  from  outside  capital.  That  it  may 
be  seen  that  the  city  has  not  been  boomed  ahead  of  the  outlying 
country,  we  haye  but  to  allude  to  the  progress  made  by  Sp  >kane 
county.  In  1882  the  vote  of  Spokane  county  was  1,900.  The  county 
then  included  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the  new  counties  of 
Lincoln  and  Douglas  and  covered  an  area  of  over  10,000  square  miles. 
The  county  now  has  an  area  of  but  1,534  square  miles,  yet  at  the  general 
election  last  Fail,  the  vote  was  nearly  3,000  and  the  vote  of  the  territory 
formerly  included  in  Spokane  county,  was  6,000,  showing  an  increase 
for  the  whole  county  of  over  300  per  cent,  an  increase  even  greater  than 
that  for  the  city.  In  1883  the  assessment  of  property  in  Spokane 
county,  (the  territory  now  included  in  the  counties  of  Spokane,  Lincoln 
and  Douglas)  aggregated  $3,183,378.  In  1884,  in  the  same  territory  it 
aggregated  $4,702,102,  an  increase  of  nearly  50  per  cent,  in  one  year. 
Five  years  ago  the  taxable  wealth  of  Spokane  Falls  was  not  over 
$30,000,  while  now  the  city  pays  taxes  on  property  assessed  at 
$  1,500,000,  at  a  very  low  valuation. 


Educational. 


The  permanent  population  of  Spokane  Falls  is  of  a  very  highly 
intellectual  and  moral  character,  composed  of  the  families  of  those 
enterprising  persons  who  have  gathered  here  from  the  Coast  cities  'ind 
from  the  East,  to  unite  their  enei'gies  in  the  work  of  building  up  a  city. 
The  people  of  Spokane  Falls  deserve  to  be  complimented  more  for 
their  generosity  in  furthering  the  cause  of  educi:iou  th  in  th  ).v  d>  on 
account  of  their  beautiful  townsite,  their  sup3:b  water  power,  their 
fields  of  waving  grain,  their  sublime  mountain  scenery  or  their  mines 
of  the  precious  metals.  It  cannot  be  said  of  Spokane  Falls,  as  of  most 
new  towns,  that  the  people  have  gone  crazy  in  their  eager  pursuit  of 
the  almighty  dollar.  They  recognize  the  fact  that  intellectual  cul.ure  is 
the  genius  of  the  age  in  which  we  live,  and  constitutes  in  itself  a  true 
exponent  of  real  wealth  and  power.  Within  the  past  two  years  a  pub- 
lie  school  building  which  cost  nearly  $8,000,  a  Methodist  College  more 
costly  and  a  building  for  a  Catholic  College,  to  be  under  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Jesuit  Fathers,  have  been  erected.  This  latter  structure  is 
an  imposing  one  and  cost  $15,000. 

The  city  public  schools  are  in  charge  of  Professor  L.  H.  Prather,  of 
the  Asbury  (now  known  as  the  De  Poe)  University,  Indiana.  The 
schools  are  divided  into  six  different  departments,  each  of  which  is 
presided  over  by  an  experienced  assistant.  The  grading  and  manage- 
ment of  the  schools,  and  the  intellectual  and  educational  standing  of 
the  scholars  is  equal  to  any  schools  of  like  character  in  the  Eastern 
States.  The  schools  now  have  an  attendance  of  two  hundred  and  sixty 
pupils.  The  present  school  building  has  four  separate  departments, 


57 


and  was  thought  at  the  time  of  its  erection,  less  than  two  years  ago,  to 
be  sufficient  for  the  demands  of  the  city  for  a  number  of  years. 
Already  it  is  found  to  be  only  half  large  enough  and  two  of  the  city 
churches  are  rented  by  the  city  and  used  for  school  purposes.  The 
High  School  has  organized  a  literary  society  which  is  doing  good 
work. 

On  Riverside  Avenue,  in  the  central  part  of  the  city,  is  located  the 
Spokane  English  and  Classical  School,  a  select  school  organized  in 
September  last  and  conducted  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  I.  C.  Libby,  with  able 
and  competent  assistants.  This  school  was  organized  and  is  conducted 
on  a  high  plane  of  efficiency  and  has  mat  with  very  encouraging  sue* 
cess.  It  has  enrolled  over  sixty  pupils  in  the  first  two  terms.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Libby  are  confessedly  among  the  most  competent  instructors  in 
the  Territory  and  are  greatly  beloved  by  their  pupils.  Their  school  ia 
to  be  one  of  the  permanent  institutions  of  our  growing  city  and  is  con- 
stantly enlarging  its  facilities.  It  is  doing  a  good  work. 

The  Spokane  College  is  a  regular  chartered  institution  with  full 
course  of  study  and  a  competent  corps  of  instructors.  Graduates  for 
the  college  cjurse  of  four  years  will  receive  the  usual  degrees.  Besides 
the  regular  college  course,  there  are  the  usual  normal,  preparatory  and- 
commercial  courses,  so  that  the  students  of  all  grades  may  be  received 
and  their  wants  fully  met.  No  pains  are  spared  to  make  this  institu- 
tion equal  in  all  respects  to  those  of  the  East.  The  college  property 
consists  of  about  twenty  acres  of  land  beautifully  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river  with  a  view  of  the  Falls,  and  of  a  fine  building  cost- 
ing over  $3,000.  The  Preparatory  DSpj,r:ment  of  the  College  opened  in 
November  1882,  under  the  instruction  of  Rev.  I.  C.  Libby,  the  first 
President.  Mr.  Libby  was  in  charge  of  the  college  two  years.  During 
his  admmis:ration  several  students  became  quite  well  advanced  in 
languages  and  mathematics.  In  the  Fall  of  1884,  Rev.  R.  E.  Bisbee 
took  charge  of  the  college  and  employed  as  assistants  Rov.  L.  D.  Pang- 
born,  L.  D.  Westfall,  Mrs.  M.  C.  Walts  and  Miss  F.  M.  Williams,  the 
latter  two  being  music  teachers.  Classes  are  organized  in  Latin,  Greek, 
geometry,  algebra,  philosophy,  history,  logic,  book-keeping,  etc.-  A 
literary  society  has  been  organized  and  holds  weekly  meetings.  The 
college  is  under  the  auspices  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  but  ia 
by  no  means  sectarian  in  its  purposes.  Its  aim  is  thorough  scholar- 
ship and  a  high  standard  of  moral  and  Christian  character.  Great 
credit  s  due  the  generosity  of  the  citizens  of  this  place,  without  regard 
to  denomination,  in  establishing  and  maintaining  the  institution. 
Though  yet  in  its  infanc}^,  Spokane  College  is  destined  to  take  its  place 
among  the  great  institutions  of  the  land. 

Let  no  one  who  contemplates  coming  to  this  city  have  any  fears  of 
alack  of  educational  facilities.  Besides  those  enumerated  the  Rodney 
Morris  (Episcopalian)  school  is  located  here  and  expects  soon  to  open 
with  excelbnt  facilities  and  a  full  course  of  study.  The  Gonzaga 
(Catholic)  College  Buiding,  to  which  we  have  alluded,  is  completed 
and  will  no  doubt  be  opened  this  season.  The  recent  death  of  the  resi- 
dent pastor,  Rev.  Father  Ruellan,  has  caused  a  delay,  which,  however, 


B8 


will  be  only  temporary.    Spokane  Falls  promises  to  be  the  great  edu- 
'Catiorial  centre  of  the  Pacific  Northwest. 


Churches. 


The  Congregational,  Catholic.  Episcopalian,  Baptist,  Methodist  and 
Presbyterian  Churches  are  represented  here  with  active  working 
societies  and  resident  pastors.  All  have  houses  of  worship  except  the 
Presbyterians,  and  they  have  just  purchased  a  lot,  in  a  very  desirable 
locality,  preparatory  to  building  this  season.  These  societies  are  all 
composed  of  an  active  intelligent  membership,  have  good  Sunday 
Schools  and  are  in  charge  of  pastors  whose  ability  is  of  a  high  order. 
Christians  desiring  to  remove  here  can  tiud  pleasant  church  homes 
with  these  people. 


Climate. 


In  the  inquiry  madeabouta  new  country  the  climate  is  always  the 
Chief  burden.  It  is  a  matter  that  interests  those  of  sound  bodily  health 
as  well  as  those  who  are  invalids.  We  think  many  exaggerations  have 
been  made  in  representing  the  climate  of  Eastern  Washington.  Some 
Lave  misrepresented  by  stating  that  the  Winters  are  extremely  rigorous 
and  severe,  while  others  have  erred  in  asserting  that  there  is  no  cold 
and  disagreeable  Wimer  weather  here.  We  have  alluded  incidentally 
to  the  climate  of  this  region  on  page  13.  The  fact  is,  tli3re  are  Winters 
here  when  there  are  several  weeks  of  quite  cold  and  disagreeable 
weather,  but  certainly  not  so  much  as  this  northern  latitude  might 
lead  one  to  believe.  Being  so  far  north  it  would  be  cold  here,  but  for 
the  fact  that  we  are  not  subject  to  the  natural  influences  of  climate- 
that  is,  not  located  with  reference  to  the  zones.  In  the  three  months 
called  Winter,  we  have  the  climate  of  Maryland,  Washington  City, 
and  Jefferson  City,  Missouri.  In  the  Winter  we  have  the  influence  of 
the  soft,  warm  winds  from  the  China  and  Japan  Seas,  and  in  Summer 
these  winds  are  cooled  by  the  high  range  of  mountains  lying  to  the 
west,  north  and  east  of  the  Spokane  Country.  According  to  the  Signal 
Service  record,  the  average  temperature  for  1882  was  57.70°.  Here  in 
the  Falls,  that  Winter,  there  were  but  seven  days  when  carpjn:ers 
could  not  do  outdoor  work,  and  not  more  than  two  weeks  between 
November  and  January  when  it  was  not  cjinrnon  to  see  painters 
doing  outside  work.  During  the  year,  there  were  21  days  when  the 
maximum  thermometer  was  below  32°,  and  six  days  when  it  exceeded 
to0.  Rainfall,  20.18  inches.  When  we  have  hot  weather,  the  heat  is 
not  at  all  oppressive  ;  everybody  laboring  without  any  inconvenience. 
The  nights  are  always  cool  and  refreshing,  making  light  blankets  a 


necessary  part  of  the  bed  clothing.  Nothing  could  be  more  thoroughly 
delightful  than  the  Spring  and  Fall,  months.. 

Some  seasons,  snow  may  lie  a  month  or  six  weeks  on  the  ground. 
Usually,  however,  it  disappears  within  a  few  days.  Thespeedy  melting' 
of  the  snow  is  due,  at  times,  to  a  somewhat  remarkable  phenomenon. 
A  periodical  warm  win  I  blows  up  the  channel  of  the  Columbia  from 
the  southwest  throughout  the  year.  This  is  calljd  the  Chinook.  It 
penetrates  the  gaps  and  passes  of  the  mountain  ranges  of  Moruana. 
Before  it  the  snow  melts  so  rapidly  that  often  in-  the  course  of  a  fe\v 
hours  no  vestige  rem-iins  where  it  liy  a  f  >o^  in  dapth  a  day  before. 
The  Chinook  wind  is  a  greac  benefit  to  the  country.  Its  warm,  moist 
atmosphere  is  doubtless  the  result  of  its  passage  across-  the  great 
thermal  o^ean  stream,  known  as  the  Japan  current,  which  operates 
so  powerfully  to  mitigate  the  climite  of  the  entire  Northwest  Coast,  that 
otherwise  would  be  coll  and  rigorous  in  the  extreme.  Further,  when 
it  is  very  cold,  there  are  no  razor  like  winds,  as  in  Nevada,  Utah  and 
Nebraska. 

Spring  begins  in  February  with  warm,  pleasant  weather,  and  last* 
until  the  middle  of  May.  At  this  season  rain  falls  in  sufficient  quantity 
to  give  life  to  vegetation  and  insure  good  crops.  The  clmiate  is  quite 
healthy,  the-death  rate  in  Spokane  Fnlls  last  year  being  less  than  tea 
to  the*  thousand,  the  usual  average  being  about  seventeen  throughout 
the  whole  country. 

Meteorological  Summary  for  th-;  Years  of  1882-83-84. 

WAR  PEP'T,  SIGNAL  SERVICE,  U.  S.  ARMY,  ) 
AT  SPOKANK  FALLS,  VV.  T.  J 

1882. 

|     TEMPERATURE."  |  WIND  | 


*,* 

eg 

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£^ 

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2s 

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2 

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MONTHS. 

' 

3 

c 

C- 

? 

it 

> 

fl 

3 

2* 

f 

=  =i 

3 

\ 

1 

g-3 

January  
February  

22.8 

42.0*17.0 
45.0  *U  f» 

-,9.0    \V 

>o.o  s  \v 

2S 

4.54 

March 

365 
44  4 

68.0 
69  0 

7.0 
99  o 

>1.0SW|44 
40  0  S  W  30 

1.04 
•^84 

April  

May  

54.5 

84.0 

320 

V>  0 

s 

3-' 

1.54 

June  

64.7 

94.5 

39.0 

V).:, 

S  W  35 

1.17 

July  

69.2 

97.5 

45.0 

52.5 

S  W  32 

.8d 

August  

<i8.9 

101.5 

88.0 

J3.5 

SYV  2(1 

.14 

Sept  em  ber  

VM) 

87  0    36  0 

51.0 

S  W  "4 

8(1 

October 

44  4 

61  o'  28  0 

«  n 

SW  24 

4.81 

November    .       .              

33.8 

33  S 

52.0    14.038.0 
4<».0i     2  2)46.8 

X  K  20 

S  \V  23 

2.44 
3.54 

December  

Annual  Mean  Temperature,  4U.5. 
Highest  Temperature,  101.5. 
Lowest  T(  mperature.  *17.0. 
Total  Rainfall  or  Melted  Snows— Inches,  25.99. 
low  Zero. 


60 


1883. 


MONTHS. 

TKMPKHATUHK. 

WIND 

ft 
P 

Maximum  

Minimum  

Absolute  rango 

s. 

3=: 

£3 
g« 

g 

x 
5 

< 

o 

i 
•? 

T't'lrainorml'd 
snow  —  inches.. 

47.2 
47.3 
67.2 
70.0 
78.7 
95.4 
96.7 
96.3 
84.0 
70.4 
57.6 
47.0 

January  

23.8 
19.8 
40.8 
46.0 
<^  3 

*27.7 
*21.4 
25.0 
29.0 
34.0 
39.2 
46.0 
39.0 
35.0 
24.0 
19.8 
3.5 

74.9 
68.8 
42.2 
41.0 
44.7 
56.2 
50.7 
57.3 
49.0 
464 
37.8 
43.5 

SW31 

E    24 
N  E  25 
.-  VV  37 
S  W  31 
SW28 
S  W  23 
S  VV  23 
SW  16 
SW'26 
S  W  31 
N    128 

2.13 
2.95 
.85 
1.93 
2.11 
.(JO 
.00 
.15 
.08 
1.48 
1.98 
.21 

February  

March...  

April  

May  

June  .      .        'fi5  3 

July  

71.1 

68.8 
"  " 

August  

October  

44  3 

November  

39.0 
29.5 

December  

Annual  Mean  Temperature,  46.8. 

Highest  Temperature,  96.7. 

Lowest  Temperature,  #27.7. 

Total  Rainfall  or  Melted  Snow— Inches,  14.37. 

NOTE — *Below  Zero. 


\  TEMPERATURE  |  WIND.  | 


MONTHS. 

% 
ct> 

» 

3 

Maximum  

Minimum  

Absolute  range. 

Prevailing 
Direction  

M'xm  Velocity. 

Tot'lrainormlt'd 
snow  inches,  .... 

January 

24.4 
21.3 
35  9 

50.9 
48.8 
58.2 
73.0 
88.8 
93.8 
91.0 
97.5 
75.3 
70.5 
5(5.2 
44.3 

1.2 

#17.8 
12.0 
31.5 
37.8 
42.8 
428 
44.3 
32.8 
260 
18.0 
*17.8 

49.7 
66.6 
46.2 
41.5 
5KO 
51.0 
48.2 
53.0 
42.5 
44.5 
38.2 
62.1 

N 
NE 
SW 
SW 
SW 
SW 
SW 
SW 

s\v 

SW 
NE 
W 

22 
29 

22 
>>*> 

21 
26 
19 
16 
19 
17 
16 
23 

1.79 
3.04 
1.54 
1.33 
.56 
2.58 
1.06 
.54 
2.43 
1.82 
.59 
3.28 

February  

March  

April  

50.2 
59.8 
65.7 
65.7 
69.6 
52.5 
46  9 

May  

June 

July... 

August  

September  
October  

November  

37.7 
15.5 

December.... 

Annual  Meun  Temperature,  45.4. 

Highest  Temperature,  97.5 

Lowest  Temperature,  #17.8. 

Total  Rainfall  or  Melted  Snow— inches,  20.56. 

./&S-NOTE.— *Below  zero.  D.  MOORE, 

Sergt.  Signal  Corps,  U*  S.  A. 


Transportation. 


At  present  Spokane  Falls  has  but  one  line  of  railroad — the  Northern 
Pacific— but  this  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  and  best  managed  roads  in 
the  country.  But  this  is  the  centre  of  a  great  system  of  radiating  stage 
lines  and  wagon  roads  and  is  destinjd  within  the  next  few  years 
to  become  an  important  railroad  centre.  A  railroad  is  soon  to  be  built 
north,  passing  directly  through  the  Chewelah  and  Colviile  mining 
camps,  and  agricultural  valleys,  to  Kettle  Falls  on  the  Columbia  River. 
From  tiiere  the  river  is  navigable  for  large  steamers  for  350  miles.  A 
line  of  boats  is  to  be  run  in  connection  with  this  road,  which  will  place 
us  in  direct  connection  with  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railroad  and  the  vast 
regions  of  British  Columbia. 

A  railroad  is  also  projected  to  run  west,  through  the  famous  Big 
Bend  wheat  fields  to  Priest's  Rapids,  on  the  Columbia,  from  which 
point  there  will  soon  be  steamboat  navigation  to  Portland  and  the  sea 
coast.  The  United  States  Government  has  nearly  completed  the  locks 
at  the  Cascades  and  plans  are  being  perfected  to  remove  the  obstruc- 
tions to  navigation  at  The  Dalles,  which  will  open  ihe  river  to  free 
navigation  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

A  railway  has  also  been  projected  to  run  south,  up  Hangman 
Creek,  which  will  drain  the  rich  and  highly  cultivated  section  coming 
to  within  a  few  miles  of  Spokane  and  spreading  all  the  way  to  Lawis- 
ton,  Idaho.  A  branch  from  this  road  will  be  built  through  Moscow 
and  on  south  to  the  Snake  River,  securing  another  route  to  connect 
with  water  navigation  to  the  Ocean.  From  this  road  another  branch 
will  be  constructed  north  and  northeast  around  the  south  end  of  Lake 
Coeur  d'Alene  and  into  the  famous  Coeur  d'Alene  mining  regions. 
This  is  the  most  practicable  and  accessible  railroad  route  into  these 
mines  and  it  is  a  line  that  will  be  built  very  soon.  The  main  line  will 
be  extended  on  southeast  so  as  to  connect  with  the  Utah  &  Northern, 
giving  us  direct  connection  with  Butte,  Ogden,  Salt  Lake  City,  Denver 
and  another  route  to  all  points  east  and  south. 

These  are  the  lines  at  present  projected,  which  are  to  centre  at 
Spokane  Falls,  and  which  will  doubtless,  be  constructed  without  serious 
delay.  They  are  roads  projected  by  Mr.  Viiiard  and  which  but  for  his 
reverse  of  fortune  and  the  financial  disaster  which  came  upon  the 
country,  would  now  be  under  contract,  in  the  course  of  construction  or 
completed.  The  development  of  the  country  and  the  rapid  growth  of 
this  city  which  they  will  hasten  will  demand  still  other  lines  in  a  few 
years. 


Questions  and  Answers. 

In  order  to  present  in  as  concise  form  as  possible  the  information 
desired  by  parties  in  "the  States,"  in  reference  to  this  country  we  ap- 
pend a  list  of  the  questions  most  frequently  asked,  by  parties  writing 
here  for  information,  with- each  properly  answered: 

What  is  the  population  of  Spokane  Falls? 

About  3,500. 

What  are  the  prominent  features  of  the  climate  ? 

Mode-rate,  healthful,  and  in  the  main  pleasant. 

How  much  snow  and  rainfall  ? 

A  good  deal  of  snow  in  Winter  and  the  rainfall  in-  Summer  rather 

light. 

Have  you  Dlenty  of  water  and  is  it  pure  ? 

In  most  localities  plenty  and  always  pure. 

What  is  the  character  of  the  soil  in  and  around  Spokane  Falls  ? 

The  soil  varies  in  character. 

How  near  to  Spokane  Falls  can  vacant  Government  lands  be 
obtained  ? 

North,  about  twenty  miles,  mostly  timber.  West,  one  hundred 
miles.  South,  all  taken,  but  good  claims  can  be  bought  for  very 
reasonable  figures. 

What  is  the  price  of  railroad  lands  in  the  vicinity  of  Spokane 
Falls? 

From  $2.50  to  $10.00  per  acre,  on  ten  years  time  at  7  per  cent.  No 
reduction  for  cash. 

Are  there  any  good  grazing  lands  in  your  section  ? 

Yes,  plenty  of  them. 

How  far  is  Spokane  Falls  from  the  Columbia  River  7. 

About  fifty- rive  miles  to  the  nearest  point. 

Are  there  plenty  of  fish  in  the  streams  ? 

Yes,  and  a  great  abundance  of  game  in  the  mountains. 

How  far  are  the  Coeur  d'Alene  mines  from  Spokane  Falls,  and 
what  are  your  nearest  mines  ? 

About  ninety  miles  to  Coeur  d'Alene,  and  the  nearest  mines 
(Chewelah)  are  about  fifty  miles  away. 

Have  you  means  of  travel  and  transportation  to  and  from  the 
mines? 

Yes,  there  are  regular  lines  of  stages  and  freight  teams,  in  connec- 
tion with  steamers,  and  railroads  are  projected  to  each  district. 

What  are  your  educational  facilities  ? 

Good  graded  public  schools,  two  colleges,  and  one  private  or  selec  t 
school. 


OP 

UNIVERSITY 

What  is  the  price  of  fuel  ? 

Three  dollars  pei  cord  for  pine  wood. 

Have  you  any  coal  ? 

None  yet  in  use  here.  Coal  has  been  discovered  within  one 
hundred  miles  and  of  good  quality. 

Are  the  churches  \veJl  represented  ? 

We  have  six  different  churches. 

Do  you  manufacture  brick  in  Spokane? 

Yes,  and  of  excellent  quality. 

What  wages  do  mechanics  receive  ? 

Carpenters  get  from  §3.00  to  §3.50,  masons  from  $4.00  to  $6.00,  and 
laborers  from  §1.50  to  $2.50  per  day. 

Can  you  raise  fruits,  and  what  kind  ? 

All  kinds  raised  in  temperate  climates.  Small  fruits,  apples,  plums, 
etc.,  do  splendidly. 

How  cold  does  it  get  at  Spokane  Falls  ? 

It  very  rarely  gets  as  low  as  thirty  degress  below  zero.  The  past 
Winter  it  did  not  get  so  cold  as  twenty  bdlow,  and  the  Winters  are 
generally  no  colder  than  this  one. 

What  is  the  railroad  fare  from  Chicago  ami  St.  Paul  to  Spokane 
Falls  ? 

Emigrant  rate,  $54.00  from  the  former  city,  and  $42.00  from  the 
latter. 

Have  you  any  Indians  and  are  they  troublesome  ? 

Only  a  few  and  they  are  rot  troublesome.  All  of  them  will  soon 
be  removed  to  reservations  remote  from  us. 

What  class  of  people  in  and  around  Spokane  Falls? 

Neai  ly  all  Americans,  intelligent  and  thrifty. 

What  are  the  chief  industries  of  the  country  ? 

Mining,  agriculture,  grazing,  lumbering  and  fruit  growing, 

What  are  the  taxes  ? 

Less  than  one  per  cent,  of  actual  value  of  property. 

What  is  the  best  route  from  the  States? 

Buy  tickets  over  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Is  there  much  stock  raised  about  Spokane  Falls  ? 

Some,  but  not  a  great  deal  as  yet. 

Does  stock  have  to  be  fed  in  Winter? 

Stock  now  lives  on  the  bunch  grass  range  all  Winter,  when  the 
snow  is  not  too  deep,  but  usually  farmers  prepare  for  thirty  days 
feeding. 

Are  there  any  mineral  spri  igs  near  the  Falls  ? 

No,  but  Medical  Lake  has  mineral  waters  possessing  medicinal 
properties. 

What  public  improvements  has  your  city  ? 

The  H-.lly  Water  Works,  Telephone  Exchange,  will  have  gas  this 
Spring,  and  Electric  Light  soon. 

Would  you  advise  a  man  of  fair  means  to  move  to  Spokane  Falls  ? 

Yes,  if  he  has  fair  judgment,  energy  and  pluck. 

What  is  your  water  power  ? 

One  hundred  and  forty -four  thousand  horse  power  at  low  water. 


64 


What  kinds  of  timber  have  you  ? 

Pine,  cedar,  hemlock,  fir  and  tamarack,  mostly. 

Are  the  professions  well  represented  ? 

Yes. 

How  many  stage  routes  centre  in  Spokane  Falls  ? 

Seven. 

What  is  the  price  of  lots  in  Spokane? 

Dwelling  lots  from  $50  to  $100,  and  business  lots  from  $500  to  $4,000 

What  is  the  cost  of  living  ? 

Food  and  produce  are  a  very  little  higher  than  they  are  in  Illinois, 
while  clothing  rates  about  the  same  as  in  all  of  the  States  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  hoarding  house  rates  are  about  one-third  higher  and 
rents  nearly  double. 

What  is  the  price  of  building  material  ? 

Good  lumber  $10  per  M.  and  brick  $8  per  M. 

How  far  are  you  from  Portland  ? 

Distance  by  rail,  374  miles. 

What  is  the  character  of  your  buildings  ? 

Mostly  wood,  but  we  have  nine  fine  brick  blocks. 

At  what  rate  can  money  be  had  ? 

From  one  and  a  half  to  two  per  cent,  a  month. 


What  Outsiders  Think  of  Spokane. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Cincinnati  Commercial-Gazette,  a  few  weeks 
ago,  alluded  to  this  city  in  the  following  language:  u  To  show  the  rapid 
strides  of  this  place  I  will  mention  the  fact  that,  whereas  the  lands 
were  taken  up  five  years  ago  at  $2.50  an  acre,  the  tax  duplicate  of  Spo- 
kane Falls  runs  to-day  up  in  the  millions.  Flour  and  saw-mills  are 
running  day  and  night  and  cannot  supply  the  demand  nor  work  up 
the  wheat  and  logs  offered.  Spokane  Falls  is  bound  to  become  -the- 
Minneapolis  of  the  Pacific  Slope  within  a  very  short  time.  The  climate 
here  is  still  soft  and  pleasant ;  I  gathered  yesterday  four  varieties  of 
•wild  flowers  upon  the  hillsides  back  of  the  city,  which,  considering 
that  this  point  is  at  nearly  forty-eight  degrees  north  latitude,  and  far 
north  of  Portland,  Maine,  is  almost  incredible.  I  have  no  interest 
here,  no  axes  to  grind,  no  town  lots  to  boom,  (I  wish  I  had  ; )  hence 
when  I  say  that  this  is  the  loveliest  spot  on  the  North  American  Conti- 
nent, it  is  from  pure  conviction." 

In  a  three  column  article  in  the  Cincinnati  Commercial-Gazette  of  a 
late  date,  summing  the  results  of  his  observations  on  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad,  General  H.  V.  Boynton,  Chief  of  the  Washington 
Bureau  of  that  paper,  says  :  "The  most  productive  grain  region  of 
the  line,  not  excepting  the  famed  Red  River  Valley,  is  without  doubt 
that  of  which  Walla  Walla  and  Spokane  Falls,  both  in  Washington 
Territory,  are  the  centers.  The  former  is  already  well  developed,  and 
the  capacities  of  the  latter  have  been  sufficiently  tested.  This  region  is 


65 


about  twice  the  size  of  the  Red  River  Basin  ;  it  has  a  soil  as  inexhaust- 
ible ;  it  will  produce  more  wheat  to  the  acre,  and  it  enjoys  a  climate 
where  the  Winters  bring  little  discomfort,  and  are  for  the  most  part 
and  through  most  seasons  mild  and  attractive.  The  wheat  is  not  so 
hard  as  that  of  the  Red  River,  but  the  great  excess  in  the  yield  makes 
up  for  the  deficiency.  The  belief  of  the  railroad  officials  is  that  the 
wheat  from  this  section  can  be  profitably  transported  to  Duluth  for 
shipment  eastward  by  the  lakes.  In  the  near  future,  however,  much 
of  it  will  l>e  turned  into  flour  at  Spokane  Falls,  a  place  which  promises 
to  become  the  Minneapolis  of  the  Western  end  of  the  road.  It  is  beau- 
tifully situated  on  the  rocky  bluffs  overlooking  a  river  which  affords 
unlimited  water  power.  The  northern  timber  belt  is  close  at  hand  on 
one  side,  and  the  wheat  region  just  described  on  the  other.  It  already 
has  a  thriving  business,  mills,  lumbering  establishments,  schools, 
churches  and  two  colleges.  It  will  soon  give  heavy  business  to  the 
road.  In  fact,  it  has  now  outgrown  the  very  liberal  freight  accommo- 
dations which  were  provided  when  the  road  was  opened  to  the  place, 
and  once  afterward  enlarged." 

One  of  the  most  flattering  tributes  ever  paid  to  our  city  was  in  an 
editorial  published  but  a  short  time  a^o  in  the  Portland  Standard.  It 
certainly  comes  from  an  impartial  source  and  from  a  city  that  has  never 
been  accused  of  having  a  disposition  to  magnify  the  importance  of 
other  localities.  The  Standard  says  : 

"As  a  specimen  city  of  the  Pacific  Northwest,  Spokane  Falls, 
Washin  £ton  Territory,  takes  the  lead.  If,  as  it  has  been  aptly  termed, 
the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  is  a  rosary  of  beautiful  and  thriving 
towns  and  cities,  the  Standard  is  cosmopolitan  enough  to  experience 
pleasure  and  gratification  in  knowing  and  saying,  that  for  rapid,  yet 
permanent  growth,  for  enterprise  and  thrift,  Spokane  Falls,  among 
all  the  (owns  in  Washington  Territory,  is  the  gem  ;  stands  pre-eminent, 
It  is  doiihtful  if  the  Western  slope  of  the  Continent  can  producea  better 
exemplification  of  indomitable  pluck  and  push,  a  prouder  result  of 
genuine  American  enterprise  than  is  afforded  by  the  career  of  Spokane 
Falls. 

"Less  than  thirty  months  ago  Spokane  Falls  was  a  village  of  about 
300  people:  raw  in  growth  in  all  that  pertained  to  progress.  To-day,  a 
bustling  city  of  more  than  two  thousand  people,  with  bright  news- 
papers, church  and  college  edifices,  opera  house  and  public  halls,  bank 
and  business  blocks  of  rnetropolital  size  and  character,  elegant  resi- 
dences, parks  and  drives,  municipal  arrangements  for  gas  and  water 
works,  defiantly  challenges  public  attention.  The  city  gives  an  open- 
armed  welcome  to  all  comeis,  and  prides  itself  upon  doing  the  honors 
royally  ;  especially  if  there  is  that  in  the  credentials  of  the  stranger 
which  guarantees  an  addition  to  the  moral,  social  and  financial  strength 
of  the  community. 

'•Spokane  Falls  is  no  longer  mere  promise,  but  performance.  It  is 
the  vestibule  or  gateway,  into  a  vast,  and  as  yet  comparatively  new 
territory  on  thp  North;  an  empire  yet  to  be  taken  from  the  only  isolated 
portion  of  the  Continent  and  transformed  into  inviting  and  profitable 
homes  for  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people;  a  region  already  available 


GG 


for  the  farmer,  and  miner,  the  stockman  and  the  lumberman.  To  the 
South  lies  tributary  an  agricultural  domain  unequaled  in  production; 
to  the  West  stretches  away  the  famous  Big  Bend  Country,  and  on  the 
East,  the  farming'  lands  merge  into  the  mining  district  of  the  Coeur 
d'Alenes,  the  Comstock  of  the  Pacific  Northwest.  For  these  mines,  for 
all  the  immense  domain  we  have  mapped  out,  Spokane  Falls  is  the 
commercial  metropolis,  the  base  of  supply,  the  market  for  production, 
and  nothing  but  the  blindest  stupidity  or  narrow  selfish  policy  can 
forfeit  this  advantage. 

"Withing  the  gates  \ve  find  a  citizenship  that  \vhille  it  is  phe- 
nomenally liberal  in  moral,  social,  religious  and  educational  status, 
gives  quick  recognition  to  the  multiplying  resources  of  that  locality. 
It  is  pleasant  for  the  Standard  to  make  this  statement ;  not  intending 
any  invidious  comparisons  with  other  towns  in  that  region,  which  are 
big  with  the  muttering  greatness  of  corning  municipalities,  but  simply 
to  chronicle  that  which  is  highly  creditable  to  the  people  of  the  com- 
munity in  question,  of  interest  to  our  local  readers,  and  information  to 
the  intending  immigrant." 

Mr.  Chas.  A.  Pillsbury,  who  has  the  largest  flouring  mills  in  the 
World,  and  who  is  located  in  Minneapolis,  in  speaking  of  the  future 
cities  of  the  Northwest,  says  :  "Portland  may  be  a  great  city  some 
day,  Seattle  and  Tacoma  may  become  great  cities,  but  Spokane  Falls 
has  all  the  advantages  which  will  be  vure  to  make  it  the  greatest  city  in 
the  Northwest  before  many  years  have  elapsed." 


Conclusion. 


"  Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter,"  the  readers  of 
(his  book,  in  the  States,  will  doubtless  ask,  Would  yon  advise  us  to 
corne  to  Spokane  Falls  ?  If  you  have  pluck  and  energy  and  a  little 
money  you  are  willing  to  invest  with  it ;  if  you  are  content  to  live 
where  people  rustle  for  a  living,  are  content  to  take  your  place  among 
them  and  wait  a  reasonable  time  for  a  rich  return  for  your  toil,  we  say 
emphatically,  YES  !  If  you  can  scrape  together  barely  enough  to  pay 
your  expenses  here,  and  would  come  expecting  to  find  a  land  where 
people  could  live  and  grow  wealthy  without  labor,  be  alvva^ys  free  from 
care,  aches,  pains  and  disease,  we  say  just  as  decidedly,  No  ! 

This  is  the  poor  man's  country  in  the  sense  that  it  pays  a  larger 
reward  to  industry  than  almost  any  other.  To  the  farmer  we  can  pre- 
sent three  conditions  essential  to  his  success— a  comfortable  climate 
just  warm  enough  to  ripen  crops  and  mature  his  fruits  and  vegetables  ; 
a  soil  of  more  than  average  fertility,  with  enough  moisture  to  make  the 
soil  productive,  and  a  good  market  for  his  products.  To  the  capitalist 
we  present  one  of  the  best  places  for  investment  on  the  continent ;  a 
city  now  in  its  infancy  but  sure  to  grow,  in  a  few  years,  to  one  of  the 


67 


most  prominent  manufacturing,  railroad  and  mining  centres  in  the 
country.  To  the  mechanic  wo  present  that  grandest  opportunity 
which  can  ever  come  to  those  of*  his  class — the  opportunity  to  secure 
plenty  of  labor  at  good  wages.  To  those  seeking  a  pleasant  place  in 
which  to  make  a  home  and  spend  life,  as  far  as  possible,  at  ease,  we 
present  a  favored  climate,  a  city  delightfully  situated,  with  good 
society,  schools  and  churches,  an  atmosphere  of  moral  refinement  in 
which  to  rear  and  educate  their  children,  and  all  the  elevating  influ- 
ences of  an  Eastern  city.  To  the  tourist  and  sportsman  we  hold  out 
th«  inducement  of  streams  and  forests  abounding  with  fish  and  game, 
pleasant  drives,  opportunities  for  boating  and  bathing  and  scenery 
equal  to  the  boasted  pleasure  resorts  of  Italy  and  Switzerland. 

To  all  people  who  expect  to  labor  who  expect  to  begin  with 
energy  and  keep  it  up,  until  a  competence  is  gained ;  who  will  add 
moral,  social,  industrial  and  financial  strength  to  the  community, 
those  now  here  extend  a  hearty  welcome.  Wit-living  individuals  had 
better  give  this  country  a  wide  berth. 

During  the  next  quarter  of  a  century,  here  will  be  the  theatre  of 
the  most  stupendous  public  and  private  enterprise,  which  ever  the 
world  saw.  Fortunes  will  be  made,  and  the  children  of  another  gener- 
ation will  enjoy  the  luxuries  of  wealth.  Careful  investments  now, 
while  the  opportunities  are  presented,  cannot  fail  to  be  profitable.  The 
history  of  the  development  of  the  States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and 
others,  will  be  repeated  here.  It  must  be  so,  and  the  events  of  the 
next  ten  years  will  convince  the  doubting  of  the  truth.  There  is  no 
other  country  as  the  Spokane,  so  near  the  market  and  so  fertile,  where 
the  land  can  be  had  for  the  asking.  There  is,  in  fact,  no  other  prairie 
country  in  The  Great  Northwest  that  is  not  already  cultivated. 

Spokane  Falls  has  an  organized  Board  of  Trade,  composed  of  its 
intelligent  and  energetic  business  men,  which  is  constantly  engaged  in 
promoting  the  welfare  of  the  city.  Its  interest  and  influence  covers  a 
wide  range  and  embraces  the  entire  region  tributary  to  the  city.  Immi- 
grants and  capitalists  looking  into  the  resources  of  the  country  are 
treated  with  courtesy  and  supplied  with  all  the  necessary  information. 
The  United  States  Land  Office,  for  all  of  Washington  Territory  north 
of  Snake  River  and  east  of  the  Columbia,  is  located  here,  also  a  branch 
office  of  t lie  Northern  Pacific  Land  Department.  These  combine  to 
render  this  an  especially  desirable  place  at  which  to  secure  information 
about  the  lands  of  Eastern  Washington,  and  to  be  used  as  a  base  of 
operations  while  searching  for  a  suitable  location. 


Appendix. 


Resolved,  That  the  Board  of  Trade  of  the  city  of  Spokane  Falls, 
through  its  special  committee,  appointed  for  that  purpose,  fully  en- 
dorse the  foregoing  work  entitled  "Settlers'  Guide  to  Homes  in  the 
Northwest;  Being  a  Hand-book  of  Spokane  Falls,  the  Queen  City  of  the 
Pacific,"  and  recommend  the  same  for  its  truthfulness  and  accuracy; 
and  be  it  further 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  are  hereby  instructed  to  place  a  copy 
of  the  said  work  in  the  various  Public  Libraries  where  the  same  may 
be  of  use  to  those  seeking  information  in  regard  to  Eastern  Washington 
Territory. 

Adopted,  February  6,  1885. 

G.  H.  MORGAN, 

Vice-President. 

MILLARD  T.  HARTSON, 

Secretary. 


We  have  read  the  proof  sheets  ot  the  work  entitled  "The  Settlers' 
Guide,"  which  issues  this  week  from  the  press  of  our  contemporary, 
the  REVIEW,  and  do  not  hesitate  to  indorse  it  as  a  very  interesting  and 
thoroughly  reliable  representation  of  the  points  in  regard  to  Eastern 
Washington  and  Spokane  Falls  about  which  there  is  at  this  time  such 
extensive  inquiry.  Messrs.  Dallam,  Ansell  &  Edwards  have  spared 
no  pains  to  make  it  thorough,  accurate  and  comprehensive.  Spokane 
Falls  Chronicle,  Feb.  5th,  1885. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK 


OF- 


Spokane  Falls,  Washington  Territory. 


Authorized  Capital,     :     :    $100,000 
Paid  up  Capital,    :    :   :    :        $70,000 

PRESIDENT, FRANK  R.  MOORE. 

VICE-PRESIDENT, H.  M.  McCARTNEY. 

CASHIER, HORACE  L.  CUTTER. 

DIRECTORS: 

FRANK  R.  MOORE,    JAS.  N.  GLOVER,   HORACE  L.  CUTTER, 
H.  M.  MCCARTNEY,  L.  H.  WHITEHOUSE. 


Jl  General  Backing  Business  Transacted. 


Buy  and  Sell  Foreign  and   Domestic  Exchange,  County  War- 
rants and  United  States  Securities  of  all  Kinds. 

COLLECTIONS 

MADE  direct  on  all    Accessible    points  in   Washington,  and   Idaho  Terri- 
tories and  Oregon.    Accounts  of  Banks,  Bankers  Corporations,  Manu- 
urerer.s,   M  -rcli-tnts   and    Miners    K<jceiv-'d   on    Liberal    Terms.       PK  •'- 
SONAL  ATTENTION   paid  to    business  of    Correspondents,  their  interests 
Carefully  guarded  and  promptly  served. 


Attention  4»iveii  t<>  1'laciiigr  ^foiioys  for  F.asteru 
<'orporatioii«»  or  In  livid vals  oa  Commercial  Pai>er  or 
eH. 

REGULAR    CORRESPONDFNTS 

An<rlo-Cnlifornia  Bank  (Limited) San  Francisco,  Cal. 

First  National  Bank Portland,  Oregon. 

American  .Exchange  National  Bank New  Yoik  City. 

Merchants'  National  Bank f*.t.  Paul,  Minn. 

First  National  Bank ti-lervi,  M.  T. 

First  National  Bank Walla  Walla,  W.  T. 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


unoi,  mm  &  co.,. 

DEALERS     IK 

FARM    MACHINERY 


Including  the  Celebrated 

D  B 

"wzrf'   "  ~  -T 


WAGONS    AND    BUGGIES, 

AndJ.LCase  Engines,  Saw  Mills,  Headers, 


CO 


CO 

Also   STORAGE  and  COMMISSION  MERCHANTS,  and    Dealers  in 
HAY,  GRAIN  .AND  PRODUCE. 

AcrossR.R.  Track, on  Howard  Street, 

SPOKANE    FALLS,    W.    T. 


AD  VERTISEMEXTS. 


Spokane  ChronicleA 


WEEKLY. 


Published  Every  Thursday  Morning. 

H.  T.  COWLEY,  PROP'R. 


ENTERPRISING, 

RELIABLE, 

PROGRESSIVE, 


The  Best  Advertising  Medium  in  the  Spokane 

Country, 


SEND  FOR  SAMPLE  COPY. 

S2.5O 


/.s  the  Most  Complete  in  the  Northwest. 

LATEST  STYLES  OF  TYPE  AND  PRINTERS'  MATERIALS  ALWAYS  ON  HAND,  , 


— Copies  of  the- 


Chronicle  Directory  and  Annual, 

FOR    1885, 
Sent  to  any  address  on  receipt  of  10  cents. 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


THE   SPOKANE    FALLS 

IMS  HID  mi  CO 


E.  J.  BRICKELT,, President. 

A.  M.  CAXXON, Vice-President  and  Manager. 

B.  H.  BENNETT, Treasurer. 

F.  C.  BRICKELL, Secretary. 


MANUACTURERS   OF   AND   DEALERS   IN 


L"TT"   TV/T  TZ2  TCT1 
LJ      JVL   «CD  J±J 

Latl],  Sljirigles,  Pickets 
Mining  and  Bridge  Timbers, 

Of  Every  Descrfption, 


ALSO  ALL  GRADES  OF 

coring,  Jeiling,  Aiding,  Qurface,  Stc. 
At  the  Lowest  Prices. 


AD  VERT1SEMENTS. 


NOTRTHERN  PACIFIC  RAILROAD 


THE  Nor'hern  Pacific   Railroad   Company  has  a  large   quantity  of   Ex- 
tremely Fertile. 


Agricultural  and  Grazing  Lands, 

For  Sale  at  LOW  RATES  and  on  EASY  TERMS.  The«o  land>  are  located 
along  the  line  in  the  Slates  and  Territories  traversed  by  the  Northern  Pa- 
cific Railroad.  The  Lands  are  for  Sale  at  the  LOWEST  PRICES  ever 
offered  by  any  Railroad  Company,  ranging  chiefly 

FROM  $2.60  TO  '$6.00  PER  ACRE 

For  the  Best  Wheat  Lands, 

For  the  Best  Farming  Lands, 

For  the  Best  Grazing  Lands 

IN  THE  WORLD. 

For  Particulars,  Address 

A.  A.    NEWBERY, 
Spokane  Falls,  W.  T. 

HOLLEY    &   NEWPORT, 

—DEALERS     IN  — 

•v 

Stoves,  Tinware  and  Miner's  Supplies, 

Cor.  Howard  and  Main  Sts.,      SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 
ALVA  SUMMERS.  C.  H.  DUNCAN. 

THE  PAHTHEOU, 

©WRCAK  &  SUMMERS,    -      -    Proprietors. 
The    Gentlemen's    Popular   Resort  of   Spokane  Falls. 


BSTA11  the  Easlern  and  Pacific  Coast  Papers  and  Periodical  Kept  on 
Fiie  for  the  use  of  Guests. 


AD  VERTI8EMENT8. 


R.  L.  CLARKE.  C.  F.  CLOUGH. 


Wholesale  and  Retail 

BOOKSELLERS  and 

STATIONERS, 

Pl»  t  MM  mM  mm* 

-..-.     ;-:,.     :_--,-,.-.  •—    v---;-    ,  -  ^   .^:-^.  - •  -  :  I, 

Fine  Confectionery, 
FRUITS,   NUTS  AND  CIGARS. 

HOWARD  STREET, 

SPOKANE  FALLS,  WASH.  TER. 

Charles  A.  Webster, 

REAL  ESTATE  and  MINING  BROKER, 

Special  Care  taken  of  Properties  plar-ert  in  my  charge. 
Sixteen  Years  in  the  West, 

OFFICE:  RIVERSIDE  AVE.,  BET.  HOWARD  AND  MIL.L.STS. 
SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 


Notary  Public. 


ORCHARD  &  SAYRE, 

Wholesale  and  Retail  Dealers  in 

•mm,  Mien,  JJ&44W  Jarii aa 

"  ^ 

SPURS,  BLANKETS,  ETC. 

We  Carry  Everything  in  Onr  L,iiie  and  Will  Fill  Orders  Promptly 
RBPAIRINQ     A     SPECIALTY, 

MILL  STREET,      :      :     SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


ADAMS,  MAM  &  CO., 

OKANOGAN,  DOUGLAS  Co.,  W.  T., 


SETTLERS    OEi 


IZsT 


BIG  BEND  COUNTRY. 


Claims  Carefully  Selected  and  all  Kinds 
of  Land  Office  Papers  Prepared. 


CORRESPONDENCE  -SOLICITED. 

Special  Attention  Given  to  Locating  Claims. 

MONEY  TO  LOAN    ON    REAL  ESTATE. 


Chapter  oa  Big  Bend,  ©omatey,  Page 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


Wholesale  ai}d  Detail 


Stoves  and  Tinware, 

Coal,Iron,Steel,Blacksmith's  Supplies 
Miners'  Supplies  and  Mill  Machinery. 

SPOKANE  FALLS,  WASH.  TER. 

JACK  &  STRATHERN! 

IFJROIPIRIIETOiRS 


(Opposite    Echo    Roller    Mills.) 

Manufacture  all  Kinds  of  Sash,  Doors,  Blinds,  Moldings,  etc. 

Turning,  Scroll  Sawing  and  Shaping  Done  Neatly 

and  on  Short  Notice. 

Orders  From  Abroad  Promptly  Filled,     PEICES  REASONABLE. 


S.  G.  HA  YERMALE,  Prop. 

k|i?ifiiiiii|ll|wiMiJ|il 

Snow  Flake  Flour  a  Specialty.. 

Correspondence  Solicited.  SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


Only  Complete  Set  of  Abstract  Books  and  only  Tract 
Indices  in  Spokane  County. 


I  am  now  Prepared  to  Show  a  Full  Line  of  Imported 
Woolens  for  Gentlemen's  wear,  embracing  all  the  New 
Designs,  and  would  kindly  solicit  your  Inspection  and 
patronage. 

P  S  MEADE     RIVERSIDE  AVENUE, 

•i   •    **•    *TdiriMrife«HrMHlj        Near  Zieeler's  Store,  Spokane  tal 


Fal  IK 


1880    PIONEER  RESTAURANT.    l885 

C.    W.   CARSON,  Proprietor. 

HOWARD  ST.,  opp.  Great  Eastern  Store,  SPOKANE  FALLS. 

The  Pioneer  Restauranteur!    The  Peerless  Caterer. 


Refresh  Yourself  at 


GENERAL  MERCHANDISE. 

Cor.  Howard  &  Sprague  Sts.,    SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.T. 

ALSO  AGENT  FOB 

Gerrrjai}  Lloyd  Stearrjsliip  Co., 

Sold  to  and  from  any  Part  of   Europe  to  Spokane  Falls. 


AD  VERT1SEMENTS. 


C.  A.  ABSOLOM.  W.  H.  MAXWELL 


H 

ESTATE    JieiflTS, 


Investors  are  Invited    to    Examine 

our  List  Before   Making 

Investments. 


MAPS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  SPOKANE  FALLS 

Sent  by  Mail  on  Application. 


J&^CORRESPONDENCE  CORDIALLY   INVITED.      We   are 
thoroughly  posted  on  the  Great  Northwest. 

OFFICE: 

Corner  Riverside  Ave.  and  Post  St.,  Browne's  Block, 

SPOKANE   FALLS,  W.   T. 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


J.  KENNEDY   STOUT, 
and  ^Soundelor  at 


SPOKANE  FALLS,  WASH.  TER. 

Practices  in  all  Courts  of  Washington  and  Idaho,  and  before  the  U.  S. 

Land  Office.     Notary  Puolic  and  Commissioner 

of  Deeds  for  Idaho. 


A.T 

Spokane  Falls,  W.  T. 

SPECIALTIES — Commercial  and  Corporation  Law  and  Collections. 


Rooms  5  and  6,  Jamieson  Block,  Directly  Over  P.  O., 

SPOKANE    FALLS,  W.   T. 

WILLIAM   M.   MURRAY, 

-fl|ttorneij  and  -^JounAclor  at 

SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 

CT.    «J. 


SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


The    Only  Strictly  First-Class  Res- 
taurant in  the  City. 

OPEN   DAY   AND   NIGHT. 

CHAS.  C.  GRANT.  Proprietor. 

J.    T. 

Looks  up  Investments  and  Business 
Chances  for  Non-Residents. 


e  had  Several  Years  Experience  along  the  line  of  the  N.  P, 
from  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  Pacific  Coast.    . 

_  REFERENCE  GIVEN.         '// 

J.  D.  SHEKWOOD.  "*  E. 

SHERWOOD  &  DEMPSIE, 


Wholesale  and  Retail  Dealers  In 

Men's  Furnishing  Goods,  Boots  &  Shoes, 

Hats  and  Caps,  Trunks,  Valises    Cigars  and  Tobacco. 

8.  E.Corner  Howirdanl   Main  Streets, 

.    TIT. 


Wholesale  and  Retail  Dealer  in 


,  j|(iiiciu9i  f  BrfcnuriBj,  f  oilit  j|rlicle^ 

[Paints,  Oils,  Grlass,  Etc. 

Rear  Corses  So  ward  Street  aad   Riverside 
SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 


A  D  VERTISEMENT8. 


Spokane  Falls,  W.  T. 

A.  P.  HOTALING  «fc  CO.,  •  SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL. 
THE  A.  P.  HOTALING  CO.,  -  -  PORTLAND,  OR. 
THE  A.  P.  HOTALING  CO.,  -  -  -  SEATTLE,  W.  T. 

IMPORTERS  £  WHOLESALE  DEALERS 


WINES 


IN 


SOLE  AGENTS  FOR 

P.  Moorman9 s  Celebrated  J.  H.  Cutter 
Voechting,  SJiapo  $  Co's  Jos.  Svhlitz 

MILWAUKEE  BEEH. 

Vol.  Blatz  Weiner 

MILWAUKEE  BEER. 


Luged  ad  IU  U  in  U.  Ter. 


AD  VERTISEMESTS. 


THE  NORTHERN  PACIFIC  RAILROAD. 

THE  ONLY  RAILWAY  LINE 

FROM    THE    PRINCIPAL   ATLANTIC  PORTS    AND   INTERIOR  CITIES  TO  THB- 
LEADING  CITIES  AND  TOWNS  IN 

WvV^HIlVGTOlV  Al\r>  OREOCX1V, 

The  Only  Dining  Car  Line 

To  The  Pacific  Coast. 

The  most   Elegant  and   Complete   Equipment  of  Palace  Dining  an* 

Sleeping  Cars  in  the  Service,  attached  to  trains  leaving  St. 

Paul    daily  and   running  through,   without 

change,   to    Portland,  Oregon. 

The  Only  Line  Running  Through  Emigrant  Sleeping  Cars. 

From  the  East  into  Montana,  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory. 
The  Only  Bail  Line  to 

"The  Wonderland  of  the  World," 
THE  YELLOWSTONE  NATIONAL  PARK. 

•  AHmCJl  Millions  and  Millions  of  Acres  of  low-priced  Lands  toy 
LABVU&i  sale  by  the  NORTHERN  PACIFIC  K.  R.  CO.  on  Easy 
lernis.  Tlu-y  are  the  cheapest  and  most  productive  Lands  ever  offered  for 
sale  by  any  railroad  company.  An  equal  quantity  of  Government  lands 
al-so  OIWMI  for  settlement  under  the  H»  mes  ->f»d,  Pre-emption  and  Tree- 
Culture  Laws.  These  Railroad  and  Government  lands  are  THE  RE-^T 
WHEAT,  GRAZING,  FARMING  ANu  TiMBER  LANDS  NOW  IN 
MArCivi'.  i'. 

1TDMC  flC  CAIC  OF  NORTHERN  PACIFIC  LANDS.  Agricul- 
I  LniTlO  Ul  OALu  tural  land  of  the  Company,  east  of  the  Missouri 
River,  in  Minnesota  and  Dakota,  are  sold  at  84.00  per  acre,  and  the  pre- 
ferred s'oek  of  the  Company  will  be  received  af,  par  in  payment.  When 
these  lands  are  purchased  on  time,  one-sixth  stock  or  cash  is  required 
at  time  of  purchase,  and  the  balance  in  five  equal  annual  payment* 
in  stock. or  cash,  with  interest  at  7  per  cent. 

Tlu-  price  of  a  largn  proportion  of  agricultural  lands  west  of  the  Missouri 
River  in  Dakota  and  Montana  ranges  chiefly  from  82.60  to  84.OO  per  acre. 
If  purchased  on  time,  one-sixth  cash,  and  the  balance  in  five  equal  annual 
cash  payments,  with  interest  at  7  per  cent,  per  annum. 

THE  NORTHERN    PACIFIC  RAILROAD  passes  through  a  region  re- 
plete with  more  picturesque  and  wonderful  scenery  than  can  elsewhere  be 
found.     Added   to  this.  The  Northern   Pacific  Country  possesses  unrivaled 
attractions  in  undeveloped  agricultural,  grazing,  mineral  and  forest  wealth. 
Its  waier-power  privileges  are  unequaied  in  numberand  capacity.  Its  fishery 
resources  are  boundless.    Its  numerous  town,  farm,  and  all  other  properties 
are  rapidly  increasing  in  value,  and  it  is  an   inviting  field  for  people  to  en- 
gage in    profitable  manufacturing  and   various  business  enterprises.    These 
conditions  offer  excellent  opportunities  for  profitable  investment  and  em- 
ployment.   The  vast  numbers  who  will  make  an  interesting  tour  of  obser- 
vation rurough  the  Northern  Pacific  Country   in  Minnesota,  North    Dakota, 
Montana,    Northern  Idaho,  Washington  and    Orep-on-the  pleasure-seeker, 
the  sportsman,  the  invalid,  the  land  buyer,  the  stock  raiser,  the  farmer,  the 
mechanic,  the  manufacturer,  and  the  business  and  traveling  public  generally 
—can  combine   profit   with  pleasure  by  making  judicious  investments  and 
securing  points  for  future  location,  in  this  prosperous,  new  country. 
~TT1TI>  ~T7T"rp     For  Maps  and  Publications.  SENT  FREE  OF  CHARGE, 
_L?    JLV_l\jJLlJ.  and  for  all  informotlon  relating  to  the  NORTH  PACI- 
FIC CuL'NTRY.  apply  to  or  address  either  of  the  following  officers  : 
CHARLES  S.  FEE.  Gen'l  Passenger  Agent,  St.  Paul.  Minn. 
J.  M.  HANNAFORO,  Gen'l  Freight  Agent,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
PAUT,  ScHVLZK.  General  Land  Agent,  Portland, Oregon. 
ED.  STONS,  General  Land  Agent,  Helena,  Montana. 
P.  B.  GROAT,  Gon'l   L-ind  Agent,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

CHAS.  S.  LAMBOHN,  Land  Comm'r,  St.  Paul,    Minn.  . 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


DIRECT  IMPORTERS  OF 


SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T.,      Howard  St.,  Near  Main. 


SPOKANE  COLLEGE, 

SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 

A   Regularly  Chartered    Institution,   with   Preparatory  arid   Normal 
Courses  of  Study,  and  a  Full  C.  urse  of  Four  Years. 

Beautiful  and  Healthy  Location. 

Board  and  Tuition  at  Reasonable  Rates.      For  full  information,  address, 

Rev.  R.  E.  BISBEE,  A,  M.( 

President. 

IT 


l23.c3.ojD@nca.oiat:, 

A  BOARDING  AND  DAY  SCHOOL. 

Primary,  Commercial,  College  Preparatory  aiid 
Normal   Courses, 

Thoroughly  Educated  and  Experienced  Teachers.  Advantages  Unsur- 
passed in  Music,  Drawing,  Painting  and  Elocution.  Personal  supervision 
of  Pupils  by  Head  Instructors. 

Riverside  Ave.,  bet.  Stevens  and  Washington  Sts., 

SPOKANE   F^fct®,  W.  T. 
MRS.  I.  C.  T.IBBY.  REV.  I.  C.  LIBBY, 

Preceptress.  Sup't  Classical  and  Business  Dep't. 


AD  VERT1SEMENTS. 


CCZUR  d'ALENE 


AND 


TRANSPORTATION  COM% 

Carrying  Passengers  and  Freight,  per 
Steamers,  from  Coenr  d'Alene  City 
to  all  points  in  the  famous 

CIUR  d'  ALENE  MINING  DISTRICT, 

The  Best,  Cheapest  and  Most  Expeditious 

Route  to  the  Mines  from  Spokane 

Falls  or  Rathdrum,  on 

THE  NORTHERN  PACIFIC  RAILROAD. 

THROUGH  TICKETS 

To  Eagle,  Murray,  and  other  points  in  the 
Mines,  can  Repurchased 

AT  SPOKANE  FALLS  OR  RATHDRUM. 

Freights  can  be  consigned  to  C.  B.  King, 
Coeur  d'Alene  City. 

Perfectly  Safe,  Finely  Equipped  and  of 
Great  Speed  are  on  this  route. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


OLIVER  &  JOHNSON, 

PROPRIETORS 


njILL. 


Manufacturers  and  Dealers  in 

DOORS,  SASH,  BLINDS,  BALUSTEHS,  POSTS, 

AND  GLAZED  WINDOWS. 

Brackets  and  Mouldings 

Of  all  descriptions. 

Planing  Done  to  Order. 

J.  fVL  GRIMMER, 
Express  and  Drayman, 


SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 

•es,  Trunks  and  Valises,   and 
1  to  any  Part  of  the  City  Promp 
at  tlie  Lowest  Rates. 

Look  Out  for  Him  at  the  Depot. 


Parcels,  Packages,  Trunks  and  Valises,   and   Heavy  Freight 

Delivered  to  any  Part  of  the  City  Promptly,  and 

at  the  Lowest  Rates. 


SAN  FRANCISCO  HOTEL, 

Mrs.  M.  MILLER,  Prop. 

SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 

LOCATED  NEAR  THE  RAILROAD  DEPOT. 

Newly  Furnished  and  Pirst-Class,  Pleasant  and  Homelike. 
Rites  Reasonable. 


AD  VERT28EMENT8. 


FALLS  l  FORT 


E 


Carrying  the  TJ.  S.  Mails,  and  Wells, 
Fargo  &  Go's  Express. 


STAGES  tEAVE  SPOKANE  FA113  OK 


•4||ondaijd,  -i^ 


and   I 

FOR  THE  FOM.OWIM;    i»oi\  rs: 

Deep  Creek  Falls,  Fairweather,  Davenport,  Camp  Spokane 

RETURNING, 

Leaves  Ft.  Spokane  Tuesdays,  Thursdays  &  Saturdays 


Further  particulars  apply  at  Wells,  Fargo  <fe  Go's  Express 
Office,  Main  Street,  Spokane  Falls,  W.  T. 

YOUNG  &  ENG-LEE,  PROPR'S. 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


THE  GERMANIA  HOTEL. 

HOLLAND  &  McLEOD,  Proprietors. 
East  side  Howard  Street, 

SPOKANE  FALLS,  WASH.  TER. 

First-Class  in  Every  Respect. 

Only  Hotel  in  the  Territory  run  exclusively  by  White  Labor. 

Satisfaction  Guaranteed  or  Money  Refunded. 

Rates  Always   Reasonable. 

IE.  CT.  "W  IE  IB  S  T  IE  IR/  , 
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, 

Will    Practice  in  ail   the  Courts  in   Washington  Territory. 
Also  in  the  United  States  Land  Office. 

Office:  Near  Cor.  Riverside  Ave.  and  Howard  Street. 

SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 
C.  G.  BRADSHAW, 


WILL    PRACTICE    in  the  Territorial  and  Federal  Courts; 
will   attend   to  all   business  pertaining  to  the  Land  De- 
partment, Filing  claims  and  prosecuting  contested  claims  be- 
fore the  Interior  Department. 

OFFICE  :—  South  side  of  Riverside  Avenue,  near  Howard 
Street,  Spokane  Falls,  Washington  Territory. 

H.  C.  WINTERS, 


SPOKANE  FALLS,  WASH.  TER. 

Repairing  and  Cleaning  neatly  done  on  short  notice. 
Charges  always  Reasonable  and  satisfaction  guaranteed. 


AD  VERTISEMEXTS. 


DAILY.  WEEKLY 

The  Spokane  Falls 

DAILY  i  WEEKLY 


THE 


Representative  Journal 

OF 

EASTERN    WASHINGTON. 

FRANK  M.  DALLAM,  Editor  and  Prop. 

If  you  desire  to  ke^p  posted  on  the  Agricultural  and  Mineral 
Resources  of  the  Northwest,and  especially  of  Eastern  Wash- 
ington, Subscribe  for  the 

SPOKANE  PALLS  WEEKLY  REVIEW, 

Published  every  Saturday  at  the  office  of  the  Daily  Review, 
SPOKANE   FALLS,  W.  T. 

It  is  devoted  to  the  Mnterial  Interests  of  the  City  and  County 
in  which  it  is  published,  and  contains  Reliable  Informal  on 
upon  the  surrounding  country. 

Terms:  $3.00  Per  Year. 

$1.50  for  six  months. 

$1.00  for  four  months. 

Copies  Sat  on  Application. 

Address, 

FRANK  M.  DALLAM, 
Spokane  Falls,  Washington  Ter. 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


Correspondence  Conducted  in  English,  Ger- 
man, French  and  Bohemian. 


COMMERCIAL  AND  LAND  ATTORNEYS, 

South  side  Riverside  Avenue, 

SPOKANE  FALLS  W.  T. 

Will  Practice, in  all  the  Courts  and 
Land  Offices  in  the  Territory. 


Loans  Negotiated  and  Taxes  Paid. 

N.  P,  LIVERY  STABLE, 


St.,  Spo&ame  Falls,  W.  T. 

THE  VERY  BEST  OF  TURNOUTS 

Always  on  Hand.      Fine  Saddle  Horses  a 
Specialty. 

SPECIAL   INDUCEMENTS 

Offered  to  immigrants  wishing  to  view 
the  Country. 

RATES  REASONABLE. 

Call  and  See  Vs.  Stable  Nearest  to  Depot. 

LAUMAN  &  READ  Proprietors. 


AD  VERTISEMENTS. 


Correspondence    conducted    in     English, 
German  Frenciiand  Bohemian. 


Strobach  &  Munter, 

LAND  ATTORNEYS I  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS, 

RIVERSIDE  AVE.,  SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T. 


Lands  Selected  and  Settlers  Located  on 
Public  Lands. 

II.  S,  Land  Office  Practice  a  Specialty, 

Have  for  sale  Ranches  and  Improved 
City  Property.  Lots  in  Cannon's, 
Heath's,  Cowley's,  Morgan's  and 
Railroad  Additions  to  the  city  of 
Spokane  Falls. 

LOANS  NEGOTIATED  AND  TAXES  PAID. 

Exchange  Sold  on  More  than  500  Cities  and 
Towns  of  Europe. 


«®"  COMPLETE  ~^a 

TITLE  ABSTRACTS  OF  SPOKANE  COUNTY, 

Under  Strobach   &   Munter's 

Improved  American  Title  Abstract  System. 

A  Sectional  map  of  Spokane  and  Lincoln  counties  will  be  sent 
on  receipt  of  Twenty-five  Cents. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


Wendell  Hall, 


Insurance 
Agent, 


SPOKANE  FALLS  W.  T. 


Will  write  in  any  part  of 
and 

Idaho  Territories. 


SPOKANE  FALLS,  W.  T., 
Importers,  jobbers,  aijd  Retailers  of 

SILKS   AUD  DEY  GOODS, 

CARPETS,   OIL   CLOTHS, 
Linoleums,  Mattings,  Rugs, 

G^PS,  BOOTS  jqu  S^OES, 
Rubber  Goods,  Wall  Paper, 

e  Hes  ^  Cr^ke  fy  ,« 

Glassivare,  Bar  Fixtures. 

ALSO  WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  CIGARS 


.A_T 
The  Most  Extensive  Establishment   in  Washington  Territory 


tWHETHAM  *  &  *  BOLSTER*- 

$ 


SFQKANI5     FA£I,S,     W. 


CI.AVK  KorSALK  A    COMIM.KTE  JjIST  OK 


FAF(MII2G"UDD*GRAZIGG 


In   All  Hie  Best  Agricultural  Districts. 


ALSO   THK     CHOICEST 


Business    an  d   Residence 


IN   ALL  PARTS   OF  THE   CITY. 


WATER  POWERfON  THE  FAMOUS  FALLS 

For  Sale  or  to  Lease  on  Reasonable  Terms. 


Any  of  the  Banks  or  Business  Houses  of  the  Cit.y 
CORRESPONDENCE  SOLICITED."^; 


(OHIVEHSITY) 

^S£LcAu^\t-i/. 


•m 

mm 


14  DAY  USE 

'ESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 


.General  Library 


'*•»§! 

&3&S&32, 


833 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


%s^m 


